Achievements and dedication celebrated at Swimming Gunnedah presentation night

The achievements, dedication and hard work of Swimming Gunnedah have been recognised at the club’s annual presentation night.

Swimmers, parents, coaches, volunteers and esteemed life members attended the event at the Gunnedah Golf Club recently, where success and effort was celebrated across the 2026 short and long course swim seasons.

Club president Marcus Shorter emceed the event and paid tribute to those that have reached significant milestones, achieved high success and represented the club in line with its core values like leadership, sportsmanship and effort.

Award recipients:

Coach’s Squad awards: Junior Girl: Isabelle Connolly. Junior Boy: Harry Rodstrom. Senior Girl: Macey Dalessandro. Senior Boy: Cameron Sills. Coach’s Award for Achievement: Junior Girl: Camilla Hockings. Junior Boy: Harry Roberts. Senior Girl: Savannah Berges. Senior Boy: Evan Hausfeld. Eileen Carter Encouragement Award for Beginners: Evelyn Connolly. Apex Encouragement Award: Rae Shorter and Edmund Saragih. Steve and Cathy Smith Award for 100 per cent Effort: Banjo Fitzgerald. Mikki Maas Memorial – In the Spirit of the Games Award: Nathan Reeves. Lyn Miller Sportsmanship Award: Lukas Burden. Hobson Family – Never Give Up Award: Ethan McDonald. James and Jenny Myers High Achievers Award: Tayla Thompson.

Age Champions: 7-8 years boys: Deuk Bergholcs. Runner-up: Lennox Sheridan. Girls: Jessica Dalessandro. Runner-up: Frankie Crane. 9-10 years boys: Aiden Sills. Runner-up: Lewis Mainey. Girls: Matilda Ramien. Runner-up: Darci Dalessandro. 11-12 years boys: Cameron Sills. Runner-up: Wyatt Shorter. Girls: Macey Dalessandro. Runner-up: Darcie Crane. 13-14 years boys: Marsel Tikhonsky. Runner-up: Jake Hausfeld. Girls: Eugenie Goddard. Runner-up Bridgette Duncan. 15 years and over girls: Tahnee Steele. Runner-up: Jessica Broadhead.

Open Age Champion: Tayla Thompson and Cameron Sills. Outstanding Achievement Award: 10& Under: Jimmy Fitzgerald, 11-13 years: Cameron Sills, 14 years and Over: Jessica Broadhead.

State and NSW Country representatives: Georgia Abra, Macey and Darci Dalessandro, Banjo and Jimmy Fitzgerald, Matilda Ramien, Nathan Reeves, Wyatt Shorter, Aiden and Cameron Sills, Tayla Thompson and Jessica Broadhead.

Gunnedah Club record breakers: Jimmy and Banjo Fitzgerald, Jessica Dalessandro, Aiden Sills and Cameron Sills.

Coach’s Participation awards: Madden Anderson, Noah Duncan, Nayte Thompson, Maddison Hill, Haylea Duncan, Edwina Goddard, Sophia Jacobs, Lucy Hausfeld, Archie Bergholcs, Edward Jacobs, Ralphe Handebo, Ayden Thompson, Ellie Rodstrum, Georgie Rodstrom, Shaun Reeves, Zoe Riordan, Mimi Sheridan.

New England North West Long Course Champions and runners-up winners were also announced along with recipients of the NSW Pho3nix (JX) Junior Excellence Awards.

SteveandCathySmithAw_54960 Steve and Cathy Smith presented the 100 per cent Effort Award in their honour to Banjo Fitzgerald.

Participation_61683 Coach's Participation Awards: Left, Shaun Reeves, Ellie Rodstrom, Archie Bergholcs, coach Colin Marley, Nayte Thompson. Front: Ayden Thompson, Edina Goddard, Georgie Rodstrom, Madden Anderson.

IMG_8625_63236 Evan Hausfeld and coach Colin Marley with the Senior Boy Squad Award for Achievement.

Coachessquad_54938 Coaches Squad Award winners with coach Colin Marley. Left, Cameron Sills, Isabelle Connolly, Harry Roberts, Macey Dalessandro.

EileenCarterEcourage_54903 The Eileen Carter Encouragement Award for Beginners was presented to Evelyn Connolly. Pictured with coach Colin Marley.

JamesandJennyMyersHi_54901 James and Jenny Myers High Achievers Award was presented to Tayla Thompson with president Marcus Shorter.

MikkiMaas_55011 Mikki Maas - In the Spirits of the Games award winner Nathan Reeves, pictured with club president Marcus Shorter.

NSWStateandCountryre_54962 NSW State and Country representatives. Back left, Cameron Sills, Nathan Reeves, Wyatt Shorter, Dana Campbell, Tahnee Steele, Eugenie Goddard. Middle left: Darci Dalessandro, Georgia Abra, Matilda Ramien, Macey Dalessandro, Banjo Fitzgerald, Tayla Thompson. Front left, Ayden Thompson, Jessica Dalessandro (on behalf of Jessica Broadhead), Jimmy Fitzgerald, Aiden Sills.

ClubRecordBreakers_55008 Gunnedah Club record breakers; Back left, Jimmy and Banjo Fitzgerald. Cameron Sills and life member Marie Hobson. Front left, Jessica Dalessandro and Aiden Sills.

HobsonFamilyNeverGiv_55028 Ethan Macdonald with the Hobson Family - Never Give up Award with Marie Hobson.

LukaBurdenSpoortsman_55000 Lukas Burden won the Lyn Miller Sportsmanship Award. Pictured with Coach Colin Marley. RIGHT: Ethan Macdonald with the Hobson Family - Never Give up Award with Marie Hobson.