The University of Toronto was a successful host of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) swimming championships this past weekend. The men’s team essentially wrapped up its first-place finish on the second day, while the women’s finished second overall.

Toronto’s men dominated the three-day meet from start to finish and ended with a combined team score of 891 points, a 169-point advantage over the McMaster Marauders (722).

The Western Mustangs’ women led the team standings for three straight days, finishing with 876.5 points. The silver-medalist Varsity Blues finished with 762 points, with the Marauders at a close third with 682.5 points.

Toronto’s Zach Chetrat and Guelph’s Alisha Harricharan were crowned the 2013 male and female swimmers of the year respectively. Chetrat broke two OUA records in the men’s 400-metre freestyle and 200-metre butterfly on Day 1 and was honoured with the Grand Slam award, claiming the fourth OUA 200-metre butterfly title of his university career.

The Athletic Centre was abuzz with excitement as supporters for all teams brought an aura of enthusiasm and competitiveness. The Toronto supporters were the loudest and, in combination with the chants from the swim team, electrified the event and the individual and team races scattered through the three nights.

Eric Vanderbeek, a third-year Blues swimmer, lauded the staff. “[They] did a really good job getting all of the supporters out; it makes it most exciting.”

The Varsity Blues support, hand in hand with the extensive Toronto decorations, created a supportive environment for U of T’s swimmers.

“Hosting your own meet is the best,” admitted fourth-year swimmer Alexandra Augello. At the other end of the experience spectrum, first-year swimmer Zoe Rivard-Aslin used the word “comfortable” to describe her first tournament as a Varsity Blues swimmer.

Luke Hall, an Olympic swimmer from Swaziland, put on another great performance at the OUA championships. Hall said the victory “bodes well for us going into the main competition” — the CIS championship, hosted in Calgary in a couple of weeks.

Not having to travel for this tournament with the CIS rapidly approaching proved a great asset for Toronto’s swimmers. Hall commented saying that while “other teams rest up, we train through it with our main sights on the CIS.”

The Blues met the high expectations that had been set for the meet. The men’s team has continually dominated the OUA, with this victory being their tenth straight first-place finish. A total of 19 records were broken during the three-day meet, including five on Day Three to cap off the exciting tournament.

Varsity Blues swimmer Augello summed it up best: “We know the pool well.”