Gunnedah swimmer breaks 45-year record

Gunnedah swimmers have set some remarkable records lately, with one swimmer breaking a 45-year record at a championship while another swimmer broke seven records at a carnival.

Jimmy Fitzgerald broke one of the oldest swimming records on the club’s history books, dating back to 1980.

Jimmy toppled Mark Doyle’s 8 years boys long course 50m butterfly record at the Catholic Primary Schools (Polding) Swimming Championships at Sydney Olympic Park last month.

Jimmy stopped the clock in a whirlwind time of 40.03 seconds, eclipsing Mark’s time of 40.82.

Mark Doyle was a swimmer from the halcyon era of renowned Gunnedah swim coach Eric Arnold, and was a talented NSW state medallist.

The 45-year-old record is the seventh set by Jimmy this past season, with butterfly records also claimed at Gunnedah and Coolah earlier this year, along with the 8 years boys 200m individual medley record at the school Diocesan carnival in a time of 3:19.58 and held by Jake Bastian since 2010 (3:21.55).

Jimmy’s brother Banjo also beat his own 10 years boys 50m butterfly record (33.42) at the recent Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA) Swimming Championships in a time of 33:03.

Banjo earned a spot on the NSW team for his second school Nationals while Belle Nichols set a record in the 9 years girls 50m butterfly at Polding (37.38), previously held by Molly Ramien (38.90).

Belle is off to a flying start in the short course season, having set seven records at the recent NuSwim carnival: in the 50m backstroke (40.80) previously owned by Hannah Akinyemi (40.97), along with Molly’s 50m freestyle (33.60/34.16), 100m (1:16.70/1:19.54) and 200m (2:44.47/2:50.33) freestyle, as well as the 100m backstroke (1:31.12/1:31.36), individual medley (1:29.40/1:30.35) and 50m butterfly (38.31/41.48).

Also at NuSwim, Cameron Sills set a short course club record in the 11 years boys 200m butterfly (3:09.84) after Josh Spinks held the previous record (3:17.23).

Gunnedah squad swimmers will head to Orange this weekend for its annual winter carnival.