THE Traralgon Swimming Club dominated the Latrobe City Cup meet held recently in Morwell.
With 88 swimmers competing the club ruled the day, winning the cup and the outstanding team trophy for the 10th year in succession.
Traralgon accumulated 1280 points to finish ahead of city-based Surrey Park in second place on 624.
Senior head coach Brian Ford said the meet was a good hit out for the season ahead.
“To bring many of our swimmers together at a local meet is always a positive and enthusiastic experience,” Ford said.
“Particularly at the start of the season it is good to see where the swimmers are at in their progression and training.
“Winning the trophy, 80 per cent of swimmers having personal best performances and a number of them breaking records so early in the swimming year augers well for a terrific 12 months ahead.”
A total of 13 swimmers in maroon won their age group champion award, while six Gippsland record were broken by TSC at the meet.
Alex Tsebelis and Alice Peddle won their respective 100 metre backstroke events, named in memory of Charles Ford and Kathleen Froud, both national swimmers who died early in their lives while members of the club.
TSC had four first time country qualifiers in Cade Hughes (10), Claudia Lee (9), Chiara Bordinaro (14) and Charlie Hamilton (9), while Nathan Higginson (13) and Oliver Haberl (10) earned maiden state qualifications.
TSC is now preparing for the Victorian Country Short Course Championships to be held in Ballarat at the end of August where it is also seeking its 10th win in succession.
TSC Gippsland records
– Alex Tsebelis
Boys 15/16 years 50m backstroke – 28.19s (previous record – 28.56s – Brayden Waltham (2008), Matt Norwood (2010) – both Traralgon)
Boys 15/16 years 100m backstroke – 58.86s (previous record – 59.40s – Connor O’Neill (2015) – Traralgon)
– Molly Cargill
Girls 9/10 years 50m freestyle – 30.93s (previous record – 31.16s – Annie Pepper (2009) – Morwell)
– Lachlan McDowall
Men’s 35 year/over – 26.41s (previous record – 27.14s – Bob Campbell-Burns (1991) – Sale)
– Molly Cargill, Zoe Dowler, Sam Sbaglia, Kaja Tierney
– Girls 10 years/under 4 x 50m freestyle relay – 2.18.10 (previous record – 2.18.26 – Traralgon (2014))
– Girls 10 years/under 4 x 50m medley relay – 2.35.13 (previous record – 2.41.69 – Traralgon (2014))
