Image
Western University Photo

February 28, 2026

Barry Wright/The Independent

Shona Branton completed a career grand slam in the 50-metre breaststroke final at the OUA swimming championships in Toronto on the weekend.

The Port Lambton swimmer, representing Western, won the event for the fourth straight season with a time of 31.01 seconds.

She also won the 100-metre breaststroke in 1:06.19 and was part of an OUA record-setting performance for the Mustangs in the 4×50-metre medley final in a time of 1:49.67

The former Sarnia Rapids athlete also won silver medals in the 200-metre breaststroke final and the 4×100-metre medley.

“It felt great – especially in the 200 breaststroke, it’s been a race I struggled with a lot mentally for a few years so to be able to not only win but also get the OUA record really meant a lot,” Branton was quoted as saying in a Western University story.

For her stellar four-year career at Western, Branton received the OUA award of distinction.

She now advances to the U Sports championship at the Pan Am Centre in Markham March 12-14.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Four charged with drug trafficking by Anishinabek Police after stop in Lambton Shores

July 24, 2026

The Independent Four people have been arrested after a drug trafficking investigation that started in May and ended with a traffic stop in Lambton Shores July 21. Anishinabek Police Service officers stopped a vehicle in Lambton Shores July 21. Police searched the vehicle and found seven grams of fentanyl and 51 hydromorphone tables. A 57-year-old man and 43 year-old woman,

Read More

Image
Front Page

Bluewater Bridge border guards seized 1.1 tonnes of drugs in $139 million bust

July 24, 2026

Heather Wright/The Independent About 1.1 tonnes of the drugs seized in a $139 million drug investigation were seized at the Bluewater Bridge. And a Corunna man is one of 21 people charged in the massive drug ring which netted a total of 1.7 tonnes of cocaine, methamphetamine, opium and oxycodone. The investigation began in Windsor in January 2025. “At that

Read More

Image
Front Page

Ashley Norton Caught the Ace

July 24, 2026

Imperial Oil employee takes home $4.5 million in Sarnia Legion Cathy Dobson & Heather Wright/The Independent After 45 weeks, hundreds of thousands of tickets sold, food banks restocked and a whole lot of fun, the Chase for the Ace is over. Thursday, Ashley Norton’s ticket was drawn at the Sarnia Legion. The 44-year-old Imperial Oil maintenance manager chose envelope number

Read More

Image
Front Page

Oil Springs Youth Centre may be OPPs remote workplace

July 23, 2026

Blake Ellis/The Independent A request from the Lambton OPP for a secure, remote workplace has led the Oil Springs council to suggest the OPP use the youth centre in the village. The suggestion was made at the July 14 council meeting, when council reviewed the request from Lambton OPP Operational Support Sergeant Michael Marsh. “I like the idea because they’re

Read More