A club record set 42 years ago by state champion Tabitha Andriunas was shattered at the NSW Country swimming championships by emerging young star Alexis Whitton who broke the club record for the 10 years 50m freestyle at SOPAC with a time of 31.75 seconds.
Tabitha’s record of 31.78 seconds was set back 1980, when the young star was rising rapidly through the state rankings.
Fully aware of the achievements of Tabitha Andriunas, Swimming Gunnedah coach John Hickey was astounded to think that his young protégé had claimed such a victory.
“Tabitha was an out and out champion,” Hickey said.
Alexis went on to finish a ‘fighting fifth’ in the 10 years 100m backstroke stopping the clock at 1:23.33 seconds after improving her entry time by 5.20
seconds.
Coached by the late Eric Arnold, Tabitha Andriunas set 11 state records between the ages of nine and 11 and new Australian PSSA records in 1980.
