SWIMMING
TRARALGON Swimming Club returned from the Victorian Country Swimming Championships with 20 gold, 28 silver and 23 bronze medals.
The efforts of 78 swimmers meant Traralgon won the male points score trophy for the first time in five years, and came overall runner-up to Geelong.
Individually, male club captain Ash Nicholes (19) won the Bruce Carter Trophy as the most outstanding swimmer at the meet.
Eleven-year-old Henry Arnup broke two event records in the 50 metre freestyle and backstroke.
The Boys 17 years/over team of ex Olympian Ash Delaney, Ash Nicholes, Darcy Connell and ex Australian representative Shane Asbury broke the Victorian Country and event record in the 4 x 50 medley relay with a time of 1.47.31, breaking the previous record of 1.48.26 also held by Traralgon from 2014.
Traralgon Swimming Club Senior Head Coach, Brian Ford, attending his 55th Country Championships, spoke highly of the team.
“To push Geelong to 44 points was a mighty effort by the club,” he said.
“We had a slight lead going into the final day but were just overrun with numbers on the last day.
“Winning the male team trophy was a bonus, however we are equally proud of our girls, some of who had amazing swims, none more so than the girls 4 x 100 freestyle relay of Elayna Pistrin, Olivia Baillie, Phoebe Balcombe and Lara Landels who won the unwinnable with one the club’s greatest ever relay victories.”
Traralgon individual medal winners
Ash Nicholes: four gold, two silver, one bronze.
Henry Arnup: four gold, two silver.
Brody Cargill: two gold, two silver.
Lockie Bellion: one gold, two silver, three bronze.
Anna Mittell: one gold.
Tahlia Maccubbin: four silver, one bronze.
Koby Said: three silver, one bronze.
Elayna Pistrin: two silver.
Hayden Rawson: two silver.
Riley Bartlett: one silver, one bronze.
Zayden Burton: one silver, one bronze.
Darcy Connell: one silver.
Shane Asbury: five bronze.
Kayla Wilson MC: two bronze.
Olivia Baille: one bronze.
Phoebe Balcombe: two bronze.
Additional relay medal winners
Blake Warne (11) MC, Florence White (12), Ruby Demetrios (12), Claire McQuillen (12), Angus Turnbull (12), Austin Ryan (12), Audrey Baillie (13), Chloe Rawson (13), Chloe Szkwarek (14), Isal Ryan (14), Macy Praetz (15), Thomas Pendergast (15), Lara Landels (16), Ruby Paulet (17), Emily Auteri (18), Sam Wells (18), Sam Sbaglia (20), Eliza Watts (20), Will Pendergast (21), Josh Wight (21), Evelyn Asbury (30), Cam Juha (32), Ashley Delaney (39), Maasa Hummel (41).
Additional finalists
Ben Edgar (10), Oliver Bevis (11), Eli Hutty (11), Sarah Franklin (11), Henry Svoboda (11), Lachlan Hynd (11), Riley O’Mara (11), Xander Szkwarek (12), Addison Prout (13), Sophie Arnup (13), Kynan Burton (14), Elijah Vercoe (14), Aliza Couling (14), Milla Said (14), Harry Kurrle (14), Tyler White (15), Linden Chaplin (15), Max Auteri (15), Isabella Slocombe (16), Zoe Dowler (20), Abby Warner (20), Mark Pistrin (21), Brenton Ford (38), Caitie Mitchell (38), Courtney Ford (40).
