Sports

Orangeville Otters break club records at Ontario Junior International swim meet

February 26, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Orangeville Otters Swim Club, led by head coach Sam Kuntz, delivered a standout performance at the 2025 Ontario Junior International (OJI) held at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre from Dec. 11 to 14 last year.

The elite short-course meet brought together top 18-and-under swimmers from across Canada and internationally, spanning both Olympic and para-swimming events.

Wesley Halls, 16, led the Otters with an impressive OJI debut, breaking four club records in the 200m and 400m Freestyle, and the 50m and 100m Backstroke. Wesley reached multiple finals, placing as high as 12th in the 100m Backstroke, and qualified for the Canadian Open in both backstroke events.

Katie Malec, 17, competing at OJI for the second time, advanced to the finals of the 50m Freestyle, finishing 16th overall with a season-best performance. Katie also posted personal bests in the 100m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke, and qualified for the Canadian Open in the 50m Freestyle as she prepares for her upcoming commitment to McGill University.

Also returning for her second OJI, Nethaya Mahadana-Arachchi, 17, delivered a consistent meet, reaching finals in four events and placing as high  as 13th in the 100m Breaststroke, 14th in the 50m Backstroke, 18th in the 100m Backstroke, and 20th in the 50m Butterfly.

In para-swimming, 15-year-old Alyssa Smyth delivered a historic performance, setting short-course World, Americas, and National records in the 200m Butterfly with additional Americas records in the 100m Butterfly and 100m Backstroke.

Alyssa earned two silver medals and became the youngest Canadian to break a world para record.

Austin Nelissen, 14, had a standout meet at his third OJI, winning gold in the 50m Backstroke and 200m Individual Medley, adding two silver medals, contributing to a gold medal para relay and breaking an Ontario para record that had stood since 1997.

He recorded a personal best in all six of his events.

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