Swimming Gunnedah produced three NSW Country champions, along with medallists and finalists after shining against the best of the best outside of Sydney from last Friday to Sunday.

The squad of 15 delivered outstanding performances at the NSW Country Championships at Sydney Olympic Park to bring home four gold, three silver and three bronze medals along with more than 20 top 10 finalist placings.

Having to meet set qualifying times, Gunnedah’s swimmers competed in a mammoth 73 individual events and tallied 34 personal best (PB) times.

Gold medals went to Cameron Sills (12yrs) and Fitzgerald brothers Banjo (11) and Jimmy (9). The trio was also part of the successful 12&U boys relay teams – along with Nathan Reeves – which won silver in the freestyle event and bronze in the medley.

Cameron notched the club’s first gold on night one when he won the 12yrs boys 800m freestyle event.

Coming off a week of sickness and facing a huge program, Cameron also won a silver medal in the 400m freestyle and finished seventh in the 50m butterfly, 10th in the 50m freestyle and eighth in the 50m breaststroke.

Banjo came first in the 50m and 100m butterfly events on day two, and blasted a time of 33.96 in the 50m backstroke to claim silver. In the 200m backstroke, he achieved a PB of 2.48.70 (beating his previous best by 4.66 seconds) to win bronze.

Banjo also finished in the top 10 in the 200m freestyle (fourth), 100m backstroke (fourth), 50m freestyle (seventh), 200m individual medley (eighth) and 100m freestyle (ninth).

Jimmy stopped the clock at 48.09 in the nine years 50m breaststroke to win gold in a tied first place. He also notched a bronze in the 50m backstroke, along with fifth place in the 50m butterfly and 10th in the 50m freestyle.

Wyatt Shorter (11) secured top 10 finalist ribbons in the 50m breaststroke (fourth), 100m breaststroke (sixth), 50m freestyle (sixth), 200m breaststroke (sixth) and 100m backstroke (seventh).

Jessica Broadhead (15) placed eighth in the 200m backstroke and had a 2.60 PB time.

Macey Dalessandro clocked seven PBs from seven races and a 10th finals place in the 200m breaststroke, while Tayla Thompson smashed 10 best times from 11 events and a 10th finalist ribbon in the 100m backstroke.

Ten-year-old Matilda Ramien had top 10 final placings in the 100m freestyle (sixth) where she registered a five-second PB, 50m freestyle (ninth) and 50m butterfly (10th).

Aiden Sills narrowly missed a medal in the 50m breaststroke as he placed fourth, and he also picked up a finalist spot in the 100m freestyle (ninth).

Dana Campbell (16) recorded a PB in the 50m backstroke, while Tahnee Steele (16) swam two best times. Both girls dropped to the 28-second mark in their freestyle relay split, while Ayden Thompson and Nathan Reeves snatched a 50m freestyle PB.

Georgia Abra held her own with two strong individual swims.

The club had massive success in its relay events, with six teams entered.

With supporters cheering from the stands, the 12&U boys teams fought hard for its medals.

Cameron turned in a gutsy final leg in the freestyle event to mow down his competitors, while Nathan clocked a lightning split of 28.18 as anchor in the medley team to help clinch the bronze.

The senior girls 15&O relay team of Jessica, Dana, Tahnee, and Eugenie Goddard finished 14th and 19th after achieving PBs.

The 12&U girls relay group of Matilda, Tayla, Georgia and Macey also swam PBs while finishing a credible 11th and 12th.

The relay results were extra impressive given the 12&U boys featured a nine-year-old, while the 12&U girls team had a 10-year-old and the 15&O group included a 14-year-old.

Coach Colin Marley was thrilled with the results and proud of his stable of swimmers, especially the overall club point score where the boys finished 15th out of 73 clubs while the girls placed 53rd.

“The club point score, the performance of the relays and the PBs were excellent,” he said.

“We had nine-year-olds through to 16-year-olds swimming multiple events across multiple distances.

“It just shows the depth across all strokes and is reflective of our training program which includes having everyone swim individual medleys.

“It shows for a rural club that we are punching well above our weight after finishing ahead of huge clubs on the coast and Newcastle region.”

Tayla and Ayden Thompson, and Jimmy and Banjo Fitzgerald.

The junior girls relay team of Tayla Thompson, Macey Dalessandro, Matilda Ramien and Georgia Abra with head coach Colin Marley.

Matilda Ramien, Macey Dalessandro and Tayla Thompson earned finalist ribbons.

The senior girls relay team of Eugenie Goddard, Dana Campbell, Tahnee Steele and Jessica Broadhead.

Wyatt Shorter secured five top 10 finalist placings.

Aiden Sills achieved five top 10 finalist ribbons.