Gunnedah South Public School students have had an outstanding swimming season showcasing talent, determination and excellent sportsmanship, and it’s not over for some swimmers yet!
The school swimming carnival was followed by the zone carnival and area carnival, with a state carnival yet to come.
The Gunnedah South school’s swimming carnival was on February 6, with students showcasing their swimming abilities across a range of events including freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and relay races.
The camaraderie was high, as students wore their house colours and cheered on their peers from the sidelines.
Waratah was the winning house after Banksia, Boronia and Wattle also vied for the title.
Thirty students progressed to the zone carnival, with Gunnedah South having numerous age champions and runners-up at this event on February 19 while Gunnedah South was also named ‘champion school’ of the carnival.
Aiden Sills (junior boys), Jessica Dalessandro (junior girls), Huxley Sheridan (11 years boys), Darci Dalessandro (11 years girls) and Cooper Cannon (senior boys) were Gunnedah South’s age champions while Maddison Hill (junior girls), Xavier Sheridan (senior boys) and Sienna Woodhouse (senior girls) were runners-up.
Aiden also set a record time in the junior boys 50m breaststroke.
Building on this success, 19 Gunnedah South students progressed to the area carnival which took place in Armidale on Monday of last week.
Aiden, Hudson Ramage, Lennox Sheridan and Myles Young won the junior boys relay while Aiden placed first in the 10 years boys freestyle, junior boys 50m breaststroke, and junior boys individual medley (IM).
Aiden also placed third in the junior boys 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly.
Huxley, Cooper, Archer Cannon and Shaun Reeves placed second in the senior boys relay, with Shaun also coming second in the 11 years boys 50m butterfly while Myles placed second in the junior boys 50m breaststroke.
Huxley (11 years boys 50m backstroke) and Cooper (12 years boys 50m freestyle) also gained a third placing, as did Jessica Dalessandro (junior girls IM), Darci Dalessandro (11 years girls 50m breaststroke) and Maddison Hill (10 years girls 50m freestyle).
Throughout each carnival the Gunnedah South students displayed outstanding sportsmanship, while also supporting their peers and competitors alike.
The school’s sports coordinator Karen Willcocks said, “Across all carnivals, the highlight was seeing our swimmers’ dedication and teamwork.
“We are incredibly proud of their hard work and amazing performances.”
Miss Willcocks said events like these were “not just about competition, but about building confidence, teamwork, and a love for sport that will last a lifetime”.
With 11 Gunnedah South students qualifying for the state level competition in Sydney in May, the school is ready to cheer them on.
Myles Young and Aiden Sills.
Archer Cannon, Huxley Sheridan, Cooper Cannon and Shaun Reeves.
Back: Darci Dalessandro, Miley Mitchell, Evelyn Pepper, Bobbie Crane, Aiden Sills, Archer Cannon, Huxley Sheridan, Cooper Cannon, Xavier Sheridan, Shaun Reeves. Front: Maddison Hill, Frankie Crane, Willow Voysey, Lennox Sheridan, Jessica Dalessandro, Mason Hill, Hudson Ramage. Photos: Gunnedah South Public School.
