Hannah Kingscote of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears took a step closer to reaching the national swimming championships for her 12- to 13-year-old age group.

But she still has a couple to go.

Kingscote achieved a qualifying time for the nationals when she placed sixth in the 50-metre backstroke at the 2015 Swim B.C. AAA Short Course Age Group Championships in Surrey March 5 to 7.

The Whitehorse swimmer needs national qualifying times in two more events to become eligible for this summer’s national age-group championships in Quebec City.

Kingscote did make the B final in Surrey for the 100-m back but finished in 15th after slipping on the start blocks.

All in all, a number of personal bests and club records were broken by the four Whitehorse swimmers who qualified for the meet in Surrey.

Cassis Lindsay, for instance, also established a national qualifying time for the 14-15 age group with her 10th place finish in the 100-m backstroke.

She not only set a new personal best with that swim but also posted a new club record for that age group which was established in 2007 by elite Whitehorse swimmer Bronwyn Pasloski.

Lindsay also placed 14th in the B final for the 50-m backstroke and 15th in the 50-m freestyle.

Younger sister Rennes Lindsay swam in two B finals in the 12-13 age group, finishing 14th in the 50-m freestyle and 12th in the 200-m butterfly, setting a personal best in the butterfly, one of her favourite events.

Her time in the 200-m butterfly was also quick enough to register as a national qualifier, although she has already met the requirement for a minimum of three qualifying times.

While Adrian Robinson did not make any B finals, he did set personal bests and club records for the 14-15 age group.

Bears coach Malwina Bukszowana said she expects Kingscote and Cassis Lindsay will reach their goals of qualifying for nationals.

“I would like to have the three of them,” she said. “Cassis needs one more only, and she is a few milliseconds away.”

“Hannah is just one or two seconds away, but she knows she can make it,” Bukszowana said.

Kingscote, she added, is breaking all the records Cassis Lindsay has established.

“So they’re chasing each other.”

The coach noted the Surrey meet provided the swimmers with exposure to a higher calibre of swimming, not something they’re used to back home or attending invitational meets.

They were up against the province’s best, she said.

The new Glacier Bears records are as follows:

Robinson – 33.43 seconds in the 50-m breast; 1:13.89 in the 100-m breast.

Cassis Lindsay – 31.85 in the 50-m back; 1:07.37 in the 100-m back.

Rennes Lindsay – 5:30.99 in the 400-m individual medley.

Kingscote – 32.01 in the 50-m back; 1:09.88 in the 100-m back.