The Gunnedah swimming squad braved the heat and sweltering temperatures at Narrabri recently to post amazing results and top the overall club point score.
Almost 30 swimmers hit the water, including a swag of juniors who nailed club records as well as personal best times, state age and NSW Country qualifying times.
In the junior ranks, Jimmy Fitzgerald (7) dropped time in his 50m backstroke to win silver and break his own Gunnedah club record with a time of 51.17. He also picked up silver in the 100m freestyle and 100m breaststroke. Myles Young (7) also collected two gold, a silver and bronze, while Reggie Stewart improved in her 25m butterfly to take home a gold medal along with a silver and two bronze.
Belle Nichols (8) made her carnival debut and improved on her 50m freestyle time from school Polding earlier this year, clocking 41.86 seconds to win silver. She picked up another two silvers in the 50m backstroke and butterfly and a bronze in the 50m breaststroke.
Pippa Wark (8) collected two bronze and registered four personal best times, while brother Samuel dived in for two races in his very first carnival and Rae Shorter (7) gave it her all in the 50m backstroke and freestyle.
Returning from injury, Camden Many blitzed the field in the 10 years boys, winning nine gold from nine races and posted a personal best time in the 100m freestyle. The three Mainey brothers showed strong form in the pool, with Darcy winning gold in the 50m backstroke, silver in the 200m individual medley with a cracking improvement of 5.60 seconds, and five bronze. Brother Lewis, who snagged another state and Country qualifying time, came home with four gold, with strong wins in the 50m backstroke, freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly and bronze in the 200m medley. Charlie collected a bronze in the 50m breaststroke. Wyatt Shorter’s impressive efforts saw him also nail a state qualifying time after racing to gold in the 50m freestyle and breaststroke and picking up bronze in the 50m butterfly and backstroke.
Max Smith (9) came away with first place in the 50m backstroke, three silvers and a bronze, while Banjo Fitzgerald (9) had a packed program and added a gold to his collection in the 50m butterfly, along with four silvers and three bronze. Kaylee Allan (11) tackled her first 200m individual medley and 100m races. She picked up gold in the 50m butterfly, silver in the 100m butterfly and a bronze. The Burden siblings nailed some cracking personal best times with Jorja’s best in the 100m butterfly, where she touched the wall at two minutes, while the best event for Lukas was the 50m butterfly, where he dropped five seconds from the mark.
Matilda Denovan (11) won the 50m freestyle and clipped seven seconds from her 100m butterfly to win gold, also picking up three silvers and a bronze. Brother Rafe blitzed his best time in the 200m medley after slashing 16.75 seconds off his personal best.
Ten-year old Quade Young proved all his training laps in the pool are paying off with improvements in the 50m breaststroke, freestyle and backstroke. He won two silvers and three bronze. Juniors Campbell Denovan, Fletcher Many and Jimmy Loveridge also continue to improve.
In the senior ranks Will Jansen improved on his good form, shaving almost six seconds off his 100m breaststroke and two seconds off his 50m breaststroke to win two gold. He snatched a silver in the 200m individual medley and bronze in the 50m backstroke and freestyle.
Josh Spinks (11) added nine gold to his growing swag of medals and won bronze in the 200m freestyle, while sister Katie (13) nailed a gold in the 50m breaststroke and won bronze in the 50m backstroke and butterfly.
The 100m butterfly was Tahnee Steele’s race of the day after powering through to win gold and take home a bronze in the 50m backstroke and silver in the 50m butterfly with personal best times. Gunnedah topped the overall club point score of the day with 1603 points ahead of Narrabri (1053) and Wee Waa (462).
