BAD swimmers take 17 gold, 21 silver, and 15 bronze medals at the Long Course Invitational weekend event

By Andy Newman

June 22nd, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

I’m speechless. No words can truly describe what our club achieved this weekend.

As BAD hosted its final meet of the season, I found myself reflecting on everything that went into making it such an incredible success. Every single volunteer gave their all, and the results were nothing short of amazing.

Andy Newman, center, Director of Operations for the Long Course Outdoor Swim meet that took place at Nelson Poole over the weekend.

Throughout this season, I have worked at many meets hosted by other clubs, and I can honestly say I have never seen a club accomplish so much with the number of people we have. Everyone stepped up. Every volunteer session was filled, and in many cases, we even had extra help available.

This meet was built by BAD and run by BAD. An incredible 97% of our volunteers came from within our own club.

So many people poured their heart and soul into making this meet a success. From the late nights spent preparing, testing, and servicing equipment, to volunteers working seven shifts in a row. From the early mornings and late nights transporting equipment across Burlington, to the officials who guided and supported our swimmers through their toughest moments. Our hospitality and concessions teams worked tirelessly to keep everyone fed and hydrated. Our senior swimmers stepped up whenever help was needed. The list truly goes on and on.

A BAD swimmer displaying her first Gold Medal

If you had asked me at the beginning of the year whether this was possible, I would have said no. Not because I doubted BAD, but because I had never seen so many people invest so much of themselves into their club.

BAD is no longer just a club of 180+ members. It is a family. A family of swimmers, parents, grandparents, coaches, officials, and volunteers who genuinely care for one another.

Some highlights from the 2026 BAD June Outdoor Meet:

• Swimmers joined us from two other provinces: Quebec and Newfoundland.
• Seventeen teams attended the meet.
• We partnered with a numerous local Burlington vendors who created amazing event shirts and donated BAD banners and printing. .
• We proudly unveiled our new podium, along with new banners and an awards backdrop, giving our meet the look and feel of a championship event.
• Our new Time Drops system was a huge success, eliminating wires and reducing setup challenges.
• BAD athletes delivered outstanding performances, earning 17 gold, 21 silver, and 15 bronze medals.
• Our newly redesigned medals were a huge hit.

Staff at the starting stand, parents in the bleachers watching their children.

A special thank you to our coaches. The incredible number of podium finishes, personal bests, and achievements this season is a direct reflection of your hard work, dedication, and belief in our swimmers. Thank you for everything you do, both on and off the pool deck. We are incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing coaching team at BAD.

To everyone who volunteered, officiated, supported, coached, cheered, donated, organized, and helped in any way: thank you.

This weekend didn’t just showcase a successful meet. It showcased the very best of who we are as a club.

As we wrap up another incredible season, all the best to our swimmers competing at OSC in July.

Thank you for making this weekend unforgettable.