Records break at short course champs

THE Midlands District Amateur Swimming Association and Ballarat Gold Swimming Club recently hosted the Victorian Country Short Course Swimming Championships, and it was a stage for success.

Held at the Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre, the two-day, 84-event comp saw 540 young athletes from 36 regional Victorian clubs perform, with many achieving state and national age qualifying times, and 1520 personal best times recorded.

Geelong Swimming Club won the overall Robert Carmichael Memorial Shield, with Traralgon and Ballarat Gold placing second and third, and nineteen clubs went home with medals.

Country swimming records were broken by Ballarat Gold, including Zoe Schnyder in the girls’ 12 to 13 years 100-metre breaststroke, and Edward Meddings in the boys’ 14 to 15 years 11-metre breaststroke.

The club’s teams in the mixed 13 and under 200-metre medley relay, and mixed 13 and under 200-metre freestyle relay were also record-breakers.

Thirteen-year-old Isabelle Jarvis swam the last 50-metre freestyle leg in both races.

“It was so cool to accomplish it as a team, and as a club, because so much effort had been put into the race and the competition,” she said.

“I loved winning the relays with my teammates because we are all a big friendship group.

“Our club is a community, like one big family, and they support everyone’s dreams, goals, and accomplishments. We could hear them all cheering us on from the sides as we swam, especially in the relays.”

Ballarat Gold achieved 11 gold, 11 silver, and 13 bronze medals, and Ballarat Swimming Club won one gold, one silver, and four bronze medals.