For the first time, this year's national swimming event featured a 100-metre Freestyle and a 200-metre Individual Medley event specifically for the CF swimmers. The top three men and women finishers in two age categories, 34-years-old and under, and 35-years and over, were presented with medals for first, second and third place.

Canadian Forces 2002 winners in the 100-Metre Freestyle:

Winner of the CF Personnel Support Agency's Award:

Lieutenant (N) Tony Zezza - NavyMasters Swim Team

Second Lieutenant Sarah Bailie, of CFB Petawawa, led the way at this year's CF Masters Swimming Championship held in the Toronto Suburb of Etobicoke breaking two national records in the 19 to 24-year-old category. She shaved almost two seconds off 100-metre backstroke with a time of 1:08:99 minutes and powered through the 200-metre backstroke in a record 2:29:00 - bettering the previous record by almost 2.5 seconds.

Second Lieutenant Sarah Bailie, of CFB Petawawa, who swam in several different divisions at the three-day tournament, comes up for air after a good start in one of the heats. The veteran member of the CF swim team went on to set two national records in the backstroke heats.

Bailie's performance was representative of the entire CF Swim Team where several of the 32 CF swimmers from across Canada achieved stellar results and personal bests.

Captain Tania Pendergast, of CFB Shilo was thrilled with her results after achieving her own personal best times.

Captain Tania Pendergast, of CFB Shilo, is all smiles after she looks at her time. She used the time in the race to qualify for a berth at the upcoming CISM (Conseil International du Sport Militaire or the International Military Sports Council) competition, which will be held later this year in Waldorf, Germany.

"I surprised myself. I did the 50-metre breaststroke and took two seconds of the time I did a month ago," she said. "The support from friends, the swimmers in the lanes next to me and the adrenaline brought it all together for me."

The 20 men and 12 women CF swimmers raced alongside civilian competitors in 25 distance and stroke events at the Ontario Masters Swimming Championships. The annual event is a chance for the military's top swimmers to race against the clock in a competitive setting and break provincial and national records. At the end of the event, and once the times were made official, the three fastest military competitors in each category were presented with their own medals.

This was the fifth straight year military swimmers met at an Ontario championship meet and participated under the CF banner. CF Swimming Patron, and a competitor in the 200-metre butterfly and individual medley, Colonel Dave Read, said the number of military competitors at the meet reflects the success of the national program.

CF Swimming Patron Colonel Dave Read, of CFB Edmonton, who competed in several events at the fifth annual national competition, goes all out approaching the finish in  the 200-metre IM.

"We had people from the different provinces breaking provincial records and the times are coming down in every age group," he said. "It tells us we are getting out to every one across the CF, so it is a positive sign for the program."

Corporal Brett MacNeil, one of the faster military swimmers on the team said he was also pleased with his performance.

"I had a new best time in the 100-metre individual medley. I finished with 1:04:00, which is roughly one second better," he said. "The 100-metre freestyle was a good race for me, not a personal best, but it is in the ballpark for a best time.