Championship success for local athletes

Darcy Hodges & Lucy Dening shine as local swimmers make their mark at Wulanda

Triumphant. That is the best way to describe Mount Gambier’s hosting of the 2023 SA Country Swimming Championships at the beginning of this month.

The four day carnival showcased Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre to a cohort of more than 400 swimmers and their families from across South Australia and interstate and saw the new $62millnio facility pass its first test as a host of major events.

It was also a triumph for local swimmers with the Mount Gambier Swimming Club, who were the hosts of the championships, and Blue Lake Y Swim Club athletes producing plenty of personal bests and medal winning performances across the four days of competition.

It was two female swimmers that stole the show from a local perspective with Darcy Hodges, from Blue Lake Y, earning a number of individual accolades, including the Braendler Trophy for the best female swimmer in the 11 years category, as well as the Development Trophy for the best female swimmer of the meet.

Darcy’s full program also saw her set a new SA Country record for the 50m breaststroke in a time of 38.41 in the 11 years category, setting a new mark in the 100m of the same stroke as well in a time of 1:25.87.

Fellow Blue Lake Y swimmer Thomas Bignell also set a new SA Country mark in the 50m breaststroke in the 18years category. Only to see his new mark of 32.23 eclipsed a few hours later.

The Mount Gambier Swimming Club also enjoyed great success with rising star Lucy Dening posting a national qualifier time as the highlight. The Barossa Swimming Club took out the team champion title.

For the two local clubs, not only were the championships a chance to show off Mount Gambier’s stateof-the-art aquatic facilities but also make their mark in the water.

The huge band of volunteers who helped with set up and pack up, as well as filling roles throughout the four day championships, were also vital to the success of the event.

MOUNT GAMBIER SWIMMING CLUB RESULTS DAY TWO

50 BUTTERFLY

10th Olivia

3rd Darcy

5th Kiahna 0.12 sec PB

50 BACKSTROKE 5th Matilda 9.99 sec PB

7th Madison 13.98 sec PB

3rd Harvey 10.02 sec PB

10th Olivia 2.91 sec PB

6th Kiahna

50 BREASTSTROKE

7th Madison 5.94 sec PB

8th Matilda 11.15 sec PB

9th Lily 17.61 sec PB

2nd Harvey 6 sec PB

10th Jaqulyn

4th Darcy

3rd Kiahna 50 FREESTYLE

6th Madison 1.18 sec PB
4th Harvey 2.97 sec PB

10th Jaqulyn

6th Kiahna

MEDAL WINNERS

3rd Darcy 100BK (2.79sec PB)

1st Hinako 50BK

1st Nicole 50BR

2nd Vaughn 5OBR (0.69 sec PB)

3rd Nicole 50BR

FINALISTS

50FLY

5th Charles (0.21sec PB)

50BACK

4th Charles 50FR

4th Darcy 0.17

4th LucyD 50BR

7th Indee (0.37 sec PB)

5th Lucy E (0.34 sec PB) 100BK

4th Lucy D 50BK

7th Vaughn 50FLY

4th Hinako

MAKING HER MARK: (Above top & in action during the SA Country Swimming Championships) Lucy Dening, from the Mount Gambier Swimming Club, had a strong championships including posting a national qualifying time.

TROPHY HAUL: (Left with her trophies & in action in the pool) Blue Lake Y swimmer Darcy Hodges was the swimmer of the championships from a local perspective.