Local swimmers take on NSW at state championships

SIX Gippsland Sports Academy South Gippsland Bass members ventured up to Sydney mid-December, with coach Dylan Muir to the 2022 NSW Senior State Age Championships. 

Olivia Holmes, Miah Roberts, Sienna and Rahni Matheson and Mostyn Lumsden competed while the injured Zac Sherar also attended and joined in the coaching sessions with the others, where they all gained valuable coaching and racing experience. 

The event, held at the Sydney Olympic Park, attracted the best swimmers of NSW, as well as some invited interstate swimmers- where SGB swimmers were some of the lucky ones and relished the opportunity. 

NSW has the toughest qualifying times in the country for their state championships, so for the Gippsland swimmers it was a wonderful chance to race against fierce competition and they did extremely well, with many qualifying for the finals - a massive achievement with such strong opposition. 

On top of this, swimmers they really were pushed at the meet and there were many Personal Bests among the group. 

It is a great lead in for the swimmers who will be competing in the coming months at State Sprints, Vic Countries, Vic Age Championships and then the Nationals on the Gold Coast.

Results day 1: Olivia - 200m backstroke 12th. 4.96s pb.  800m freestyle - 7th in final Miah - 200m backstroke 23rd. 0.81s pb. Sienna - 200m breaststroke 10th in final. Rahni - 100m breaststroke 6th in final. 

Results day 2: Olivia - 50m freestyle 21st. 0.22s pb. Time 28.87 Mostyn - 50m freestyle 54th. 1.21s pb. Time 26.34 Rahni - 200m backstroke 33rd.  50m freestyle 95th. Time 30.27 Sienna - 200IM 35th 

Results day 3: Olivia - 100m backstroke heat 2.19s pb. 9th in final. 0.2s pb. 400m free heat 12.27s pb.   8th in final. 1.35s pb. Mostyn - 100m butterfly 32nd. 1.55s pb Rahni - 50 breaststroke heat 0.18s pb. 7th in final. Miah - 100m backstroke 48th

Results day 4: Olivia - 50m butterfly 23rd. 0.71s pb. 400m IM heat 6.96s pb. 4th in final. 3.03s pb. Rahni - 200m breaststroke DQ in final. Sienna - 100m breaststroke 10th in final. 

Results day 5: Miah - 50m backstroke 18th. 1.54s pb.Olivia - 50m backstroke 29th. 0.17s pb. 200m freestyle 16th. 3.93s pb Mostyn - 50m butterfly 28th Rahni - 50 m butterfly 53rd

Results day 6: Olivia - 100m freestyle 11th. 0.24s pb, 200m IM heat 3.03s pb 8th in final 2.36s pb Mostyn - 50m backstroke 37th 0.75s pb Rahni - 50m backstroke 44th, 200m IM 40th  Sienna - 50m breaststroke 14th 

Results day 7: Mostyn - 200m butterfly 31st. 0.27s pb, 100m backstroke 51st 1.21s pb. Rahni - 100m backstroke 28th.