U SPORTS RECAP: Shearer and Lemesle medal, men’s team wins bronze, Heinbuch wins Coach of the Year in exciting final day of swimming championship
The Gee-Gees swim team went out with a bang in the final day of action at the 2023 U SPORTS Championship in Victoria, BC on Saturday.
Headlining the finale of the championship was a quartet of celebrations with Lauren Shearer and Hugo Lemesle medaling in the 200m breaststroke, the Gee-Gees men's team winning a bronze medal in the team standings, and Dave Heinbuch being named Men's Team Coach of the Year.
In the pool, the breaststrokers dominated with Shearer and Lemesle's performances nabbing Ottawa their third and fourth individual medals of the meet.
Shearer, who previously won bronze in the 100m breast in the same pool in 2020, returned to the podium three years later with an outstanding swim of 2:34.15 to earn silver and break a team record.
For Lemesle, it was his second time on the podium after taking home silver in the 50 breast on Thursday. His race was as close as they come with each of the podium places finishing within 0.64 seconds of each other.
Coming away with another substantial points haul, the Gee-Gees men's team secured third place, earning a bronze finish in the team standings with 795 total points. The finish is the best in the team's history, marking another historic accomplishment in the team's 50th anniversary season.
Another milestone moment came when Dave Heinbuch was named U SPORTS Coach of the Year on the men's side, a first for Heinbuch and in the program's history. Heinbuch has been the head coach of the Gee-Gees for 10 seasons and while previously winning OUA Coach of the Year awards with Waterloo, it is his first recognition on the national level.
On the women's side of the overall team totals, the Gee-Gees finished in 10th place with 225 points.
For their silver medal swims, Shearer and Lemesle were named U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians.
Results from the entire meet can be found HERE.