Making a splash at Top End championships

Mount Gambier Swim Club shine at national event

Last month Mount Gambier Swim Club members attended the inaugural National Country Swimming Championships in Darwin. A total of seven swimmers spent a week in Darwin, initially acclimatising to the weather, which averaged a humid 35 degrees.

Coached by Julie Moran and Nathan Stratford, swimmers trained over several days in the lead up to the championship meet and in between sessions relaxed at the Wave Pool, Crocosaurus Cove, Mindil Beach and Mindil Markets on sunset.

The championships were held over four days at the Parap Swimming Pool with heats in the morning and finals in the afternoon.

All swimmers performed exceptionally well over the event with a total of 23 PBs over the four days. Results also included a total of 22 finals and five medals.

Day one saw Elijah combining with the Geelong Sharks in an exhibition swim as part of the men’s 4 x 50m freestyle relay to perform exceptionally well in their heat.

Lucy, Indee, Jess and Hinako represented the club in the women’s’ 4 x 50m freestyle relay and a medley relay was also swum on the final day by Hinako (backstroke), Vaughn

(breaststroke), Lucy (butterfly) and Charles (freestyle).

With the finals done and dusted, swimmers were rewarded with a day trip to the Litchfield National Park, visiting Berry Springs, Wangi Falls, Florence Falls, Buley Rockhole to relax and swim under waterfalls before an early flight home the following morning.

The club is now looking forward to the upcoming SA Country Swimming Championships.

The Mount Gambier Swim Club is hosting those championships at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre from January 5-8 next year.

Swimmers are now training hard in the lead up to this major event on the swimming calendar for the upcoming summer season.

If you would like to know more about the swim club, please contact either Nathan on 0427 979 238 or Julie on 0438 358 400.

Free come and try sessions are offered on a regular basis throughout the term for swimmers that can swim 25m freestyle and 25m backstroke.

CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS:

Hinako Holman

2nd in 100 Backstroke 3rd in 50 Backstroke Vaughn Stratford

3rd in 50 Breaststroke 3rd in 100 Breaststroke Lucy Dening

2nd in 50 Backstroke Charles Moore               :

9.54 second PB in 200 Backstroke

placing 8th in the finals

3.67 second PB in 100 Freestyle Finals for the swimmers and top ten placings included:

Hinako: 100BK (2nd), 100FR (8th), 100FLY (8th), 50BK (3rd)

Vaughn: 200IM (9th), 200BR (8th), 50BR (3rd), 50BK (6th), 100BR (3rd) Lucy: 50FR (6th), 100BK (10th), 100FR (7th), 100FLY (5th), 50BR (4th), 50BK(2nd), 50FLY (4th)

Charles: 100BK (9th), 100FLY (9th), 200BK (8th), 50FLY (9th)

Indee: 50BR (8th), 50FLY (9th)

MOUNT GAMBIER SWIM CLUB

CONTINGENT: (Above) Vaughn, Charles, Indee, Jess, Lucy, Hinako & Elijah.

MEDALLISTS: (Left) Lucy, Vaughn & Hinako