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Orangeville Otters Swim Club ends season with strong performance at provincial championships

August 6, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Chris Perrotte

The Orangeville Otters Swim Club made waves at the 2026 Ontario Swimming Championships that were held at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre from July 8 to 12.

Ava Yardley won silver in the 50-metre butterfly and bronze in the 50-metre backstroke.

Wesley Halls, who competed in the Canadian Trials, won the silver in both the 200-metre freestyle and 100-metre butterfly. Kaitlin Malec, 18, also competed in the Canadian Trials and set a new open club record in the 50-metre freestyle. This was Kaitlin’s final meet as an Otter.

Also representing the Orangeville Otters for her last time was Nethaya Mahadana-Arachchi. She earned a bronze medal in the 50-metre breaststroke, setting a personal best and a new open club record.

The remaining Otters also made remarkable achievements in the 13 and above events. Some members of the team recorded personal best times in their swim meets.

The Otters’ 12-and-under relay team competed in the 4×50-metre freestyle relay and the 4×50-metre medley relay, finishing 12th and 10th, respectively, while recording season-best times in both events.

“Ontario Championships is a great opportunity for our swimmers to see the results of the work they have put in all season,” said Sam Kuntz, head coach of the Orangeville Otters.

“Watching athletes step up, compete with confidence and support each other throughout the championship was a highlight of the meet. The progress across all age groups shows the strength and future of our program.”

The five-day event featured some of Ontario’s top swimmers, including 11 from the Otters. These young athletes helped propel the club to a 31st-place finish out of 91 teams.

The entire Otters team: Ava Yardley, Qyona Egbert, Jemma Harrison, Julia Noronha, Kaitlin Malec, Nethaya Mahadana-Arachchi, Wesley Halls, Joseph Reinhart, Elliot Goulding, Kaiden Norris, and Gabriella Reinhart, helped wrap up another successful season.

The season was filled with personal-best performances, club records, and numerous medals. The Orangeville Otters continue to develop swimmers who improve with the opportunity to compete among the best in Ontario.

Registration for the Orangeville Otters’ 2026-27 season opens in mid-August, with training beginning Sept. 14. The club’s first swim meet of the season is scheduled for Oct. 23 to 25 at the Alder Recreation Centre. More information about the club is available on its website and social media pages.

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