Big Meet ’26: The NAA Closes its Season with an Impressive Crowd and a Broken Record

On August 8th, 2026, NAA Competitive Swimming held its 62nd Championship ‘Big’ Meet at Briarwood Pool, with over 500 swimmers, families and volunteers in attendance. Nearly 280 swimmers competed on Saturday morning, in a last effort to garner points for their team before the season ends.

“Briarwood was pleased to host the annual NAA swimming championship. The event hosted thirteen pools and ran one hundred races”, says Brian Mader, President of Briarwood Pool. “As I walked around the event, helping out, all I could see were smiles, cheering, and a strong sense of community. Beyond the races, we were glad to have been able to bring so many people together.”

Para Event Opens the Meet

As 9:00 rung, Ms. Ainsley Rowcliffe (ECC) opened the competition with a 50-metre Backstroke Para race, her first participation ever in the Big Meet. Crowds cheered loud, delighted to see Ms. Rowcliffe as she swum alongside another member of Ecclestone Pool. Ms. Rowcliffe would later swim the Breastroke and Freestyle.

I was so excited to finally participate in Big Meet. I have watched for so many years and it was amazing to swim in the finals like everyone else.  I swam as fast as I can.  

Ainsley Rowcliffe (ECC)

“This is a great demonstration of what our community is all about, to come together as a community”, says Leniyo Amayao, Vice-President of Competitive Swimming. “I saw hundreds of spectators cheer Ainsley on, from several teams. I really think that is the true spirit of our Association: swimming and fun for all.”

Goggles Handed Out to First-Place Winners

A first in the history of the Championship Meet, swimmers raced in hopes of winning a pair of goggles. Dozens of goggles were handed out as part of a partnership with Arena Canada to reward the overall first-place winners in the ‘Big’ Meet.

Nearly Two-Decade-Old Relay Record Shattered

In a stunning and highly-anticipated race, Brody Bradshaw, Noah Figarols-Da Cruz, Adam Hassan and Liam Gennarelli from ELM finished first in the 11-12 boys IM relay by a staggering twelve seconds and shattered the existing record by a remarkable 2.46 seconds.

The previous record, held by Fairview Pool (FVW) had been left unbroken since 2009.

Outstanding Improvement by Walters Pool, 8 and Under Trophy Won by a Single Point

Claiming the title from ’25 champion Côte Saint-Luc (CSL), Walters Pool (WAL) is awarded the Pat Forde Memorial Trophy for their 115% improvement in points earned at Big Meet. Over the last few years, Walters Pool has shown an impressive improvement, first acceding to Division A in 2024. The team now stands as the largest team in the NAA.

Continuing with their winning streak, the young ‘8 and Under’ swimmers from Walters Pool carried the team to also claiming the Accubec Trophy with 185 points, only one (1) point over the runner-up Elm Park Pool.

Elm Park Pool Champions of the League for a Second Year in a Row

Coming into the competition in second place behind Glenmore Pool (GLE), the ‘Big’ Meet saw Elm Park Pool earn a whopping 876 points, and for a second year prevail as the unmatched season winners and Big Meet champions. Upon the scores being announced, the team rushed the water in celebration of their win, as parents and spectators cheered from the deck.

A Big Thank You to all of the Volunteers and to Briarwood Pool

The NAA and the Vice-President would like to thank all of the volunteers who contributed to making the 2026 Championship ‘Big’ Meet a success. They have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to prepare you this wonderful event for our children.

Volunteers are the backbone of our community. Each summer, over 1,300 swimmers can participate in our accessible Program because of our generous volunteers.

The NAA also wishes to thank the host, Briarwood Pool, for their hospitality, generosity and commitment to summer swimming. Without their unwavering support, Big Meet could not have been possible.

Thank you, NAA Community. See you next year!