SwimFaster Squamish participants continue to improve and posted strong results at two meets earlier this month.

Ava Ricard was the lone SwimFaster athlete taking part at the SwimFast Rapids meet in Richmond on Dec. 1 and picked up several impressive finishes.

Ricard, competing in the 12 and under division, placed fourth in the 50-metre backstroke, 13th in the 50 breaststroke and 12th in the 200 m backstroke.

Several other young swimmers took part in the Hollyburn Country Club meet on Dec. 2.

Chandra Athyade grabbed first place in the 50 backstroke, while Dena Roland-Kostavi also picked up a first-place finish in the 200 individual medley. Hazel de Haas was the other SwimFaster swimmer with a first-place showing, grabbing the top time in the 50 breaststroke. Gabrielle Bourgault snagged a second-place finish in the 200 individual medley. Coach Juan Gomez said Aquinnah Flores-Sands and her brother Nathaniel Flores-Sands also had big improvements in their times.

The group also took part in the Christmas Cracker Dec. 7 to 9 in Victoria but results were not made available to The Chief by press time. The Cracker marks the final race of 2012 for the group but they will be back in the pool in January.

For more information on SwimFaster, visit www.swimfaster.ca.