National success for Gunnedah swimmers

Three Gunnedah swimmers have tasted national success after winning medals at the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast.

Representing their school and state with pride, Banjo Fitzgerald and Alexis Whitton stood on the blocks for New South Wales while Molly Ramien swam for Queensland.

Banjo won two bronze medals in the 10-12 years division, with his first podium finish in the 10 years boys 100m butterfly. The talented sprinter swam a huge 14.76 second personal best time after a tight race that saw him dig deep in the final stages to touch the wall in a cracking time of 1:20.22. Supported by family, friends and coach John Hickey, Banjo claimed his first national medal behind race winner and NSW team mate Athan Ferizis and Queensland’s Patrick Hao who picked up the silver.

Banjo’s superb form continued into the afternoon where he snatched another bronze in the Mixed 200m medley relay where he swam the butterfly leg.

It was a day of celebration for the youngster at his school Nationals swimming debut, having narrowly missed a medal in the 50m butterfly the day before. Banjo finished 4th in the final by a whisker, however swam a personal best time of 33.42 that earned him a Gunnedah club record that belonged to Josh Spinks (33.56). He also swam the butterfly leg in the NSW medley relay team that finished fifth.

Also wearing the blue for NSW was 13-year-old star sprinter Alexis Whitton. After months of training and a stellar year in the pool, the St Mary’s College student won a bronze medal as part of the 13-14 years 200m Freestyle Relay B team where she led the first leg with a split time of 28.09 seconds. Her team finished third with a personal best time behind the NSW and Queensland A teams. It was a proud moment for Lexi after experiencing heartbreak a day earlier in her only individual event – the 13 years girls 50m freestyle. She produced a brilliant swim in her heat and went into the final seeded equal second with a time of 27.59. However, unfortunately she was disqualified due to a technicality on the blocks. Showing her resilience, Lexi lined up less than an hour later to swim the freestyle anchor leg in the 13-14 years NSW 200m Medley Relay. Cheered on by family, friends and Hickey, she produced a blistering split time of 27.54 to bring her team home and finish a close fourth.

Lexi was also called up for another swim in the 300m Handicap Relay where they came ninth.

Swimming for Queensland, Molly Ramien won two bronze medals in the 12 years girls 100m backstroke and the 200m medley relay. After moving to Brisbane to train with St Peters Western, she won the individual bronze in a strong swim that was a fight to the finish. She secured her second bronze medal later that day where she swam the 50m backstroke leg in the Queensland A team relay.

Molly also placed 6th in both the 50m backstroke and 200m Individual Medley finals. She narrowly missed the medals in the 12 years girls 200m Freestyle relay where her Queensland B team finished fourth by a fingernail.