Gunnedah swimmers mixed it with the best in the state last weekend as Belle Nichols picked up a silver medal while Banjo Fitzgerald and Cameron Sills claimed top-10 finishes at the NSW Junior State Age Championships at Homebush.
The squad of eight swimmers nailed 14 personal best (PB) times, and gained valuable experience as they raced against the quickest in their age groups from across NSW.
Belle flew up the pool to claim silver in the nine years girls 50m freestyle. She clocked a blistering time of 32.76, and also snatched a finalist ribbon in the 100m freestyle where she placed fifth with a PB time. Belle also placed 11th in the 50m breaststroke.
Ten-year-old Banjo claimed four top-10 finalist ribbons and just missed a medal with fourth in the 50m butterfly. The national medallist nailed eighth in the 50m backstroke and 100m butterfly, and finished 10th in the 50m freestyle.
Banjo also placed 13th in the 100m freestyle.
Eleven-year-old Cameron put in a strong performance in the 200m breaststroke to shave a huge seven seconds off the mark to finish sixth in the state with a time of 3:19.28. He also nailed another four PB times.
Wyatt Shorter continued his great form in the 50m breaststroke as he clocked a PB time of 42.67 to claim 12th. He also hit the wall in 14th place in the 50m backstroke.
Ten-year-old Lewis Mainey jumped up an age group and scored a PB time in the 50m freestyle.
Macey Dalessandro (11) gained great experience at Olympic Park in the 50m breaststroke, along with Pippa Wark (10) who raced in the 50m butterfly and Tayla Thompson (11) who competed in the 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke.
To make the qualifying times for junior state age is a huge achievement, with the swimmers now looking towards representing their school at regional and state level.
Macey Dalessandro compares hands with Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown.
Belle Nichols won silver in the 9 years girls 50m freestyle.
Lewis Mainey raced a personal best time in the 50m freestyle.
