Geelong goes back-to-back at Country Swim Champs

GEELONG Swimming Club (GSC) is enjoying back-to-back success following a gruelling three-day battle against some of regional Victoria’s best swimmers.

GSC were crowned 2023 Victorian Country Champions at the Victorian Country Championships, which involved 37 clubs battling for top spot.

The cohort of 66 Geelong competitors and coaches took on solid competition at Wangaratta from January 21-23 as well as inclement weather, which at one stage halted the meet’s racing.

Geelong’s win was anything other than a walkover, not securing the championships until the relays on the final day of the event.

Last year, GSC were victorious in achieving their long-awaited goal of bringing home the Alan Monaghan Shield for the first time in 22 years.

“To perform at this meet day after day, for three days you need to have the support of your team and the belief that your hard work will deliver,” head coach and former Australian Dolphin Aaron Tenabel said.

GSC also raked in the individual awards with swimmer Nicole Briscoe was awarded the Bruce Carter Trophy for the 14 and over competitor with the highest individual aggregate point score and Jacob Riches won the Rob Geoffrey trophy for the 13 and under highest point score.

The club also took home the Napthine Shield for the highest point score in the men’s category.

“Country Champs is one of the first championship meets a swimmer can qualify for, so we all come together and cheer our team,” Tenabel said.

“The racing is hard and fast which sets swimmers up for state and national championships in the coming months. Back-to-back wins illustrates that our program works.”

GSC president Glenn Benson said the community-based club continued to provide a high performance program for the club’s athletes, with back-to-back regional titles reinforcing that claim.

“We thank our sponsors Finance For Living and the City of Greater Geelong for the use of their quality facilities, without them we would not have access to training,” he said.

“Some years ago, we set the strategic goal to become the premier swimming club in regional Victoria, and this has been actioned.”