Swimming NSW’s Senior State Age Championships have taken off at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. 10 December’s finals session was the first of seven nights of competition, with the championships set to take place until Friday 16 December.
The premiere finals session was well supported by athletes and spectators. This year interstate and international teams have been welcomed back to SOPAC after a two-year hiatus, with significant contingents attending the championships from Victoria (35 athletes) and New Zealand (54 athletes).
Over 500 viewers tuned in from across Australia and New Zealand to watch Swimming NSW’s live stream.
Lachlan Davies (Warringah Aquatic) set the tone for the night with his searing performance in the Men’s 13-14 Years 200m Backstroke (2:08.11). His skillful race earned him Swimmer of the Night, which he humbly said was more than he could have expected.
“I think it was a really well-put-together race; I executed it better than I expected. I was going in with no high expectations and came out with a really good result.”
Davies will be on the hunt for the corresponding 200m Backstroke title at Age Nationals in April, but will no doubt be challenged by silver medallist William Brownlie (MLC Marlins) 2:11.99 and bronze medallist Victor Strokin (City of Sydney) 2:14.89.
The girls and boys sprint freestyle races were a thrill to watch, with Jessica Cole (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) picking up the gold in the Girls 15 Years event in a quick 57.54, followed by Cruiz’s Chloe Douglas-Byrne 57.59, and Warringah’s Dominique Melbourn 58.26.
Junior Pan Pacs Australian Team member Marcus Da Silva (Cranbrook) nudged Ian Thorpe’s NSW 16 Yrs 100m Freestyle record (49.71) set in 1999. Da Silva claimed the top spot on the podium in 50.58. Koby Bujak-Upton (Knox Pymble) touched second in 50.92, followed by SOPAC’s James Gauci in 51.74.
ACT Performance Hub athlete Emily Nobbs (Cruiz) fired warning shots with her performance in the Girls 17 Years & Over 200m Breaststroke, getting her hand on the wall in 2:31.86, just .15 short of the NSW record which has been standing since 2010. Bianca Fuller (Cruiz 2:34.92), Rebecca Wilkins (V- Swimming Auckland 2:36.96) and Lily McCowan (Tivole 2:39.12) filled out the podium.
One of Australia’s most iconic Olympic events – the Men’s and Women’s 400m Freestyle was a pleasure to watch.
Tokyo Olympian (1500m Freestyle) and NSW native Maddie Gough headlined the Women’s 17 Years & Over final in her debut for Carlile SC. Originally from Coffs Harbour, Gough has made the move back to NSW to train under former coach Chris Nesbit after a successful term at TSS Aquatics on the Gold Coast.
Gough was in fine form yesterday, touching the wall in a quick 4:14.78, and setting a searing pace for Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar 4:20.04), and Chelsea Jones (Wests Illawarra Aquatic 4:23.64).
The open water and distance guns took the podium in the Men’s 18 Years & Over 400m Freestyle event.
Usually a star in the 1500m Freestyle, Matthew Galea is back on the NSW competition scene after competing at US Nationals earlier this year as part of the Australia 'A' Team. Galea took first place in a sharp 3:53.61, followed by Cook Islands Rio Olympian Wesley Roberts (SOPAC 3:57.62).
A marathon swimmer who made his Olympic debut in the 10km event at Tokyo 2020, Carlile’s Kai Edwards rounded out the podium in 3:59.55. Edwards has backed up a sensational performance at the FINA Marathon Swim World Series 2022 in Israel just a few short weeks ago.
The State Age action continues on day 2 with Heats from 9am and Finals from 5:30pm.
Find all the event information you need at nsw.swimming.org.au.
Headline image: Click Clo Photography
10 December Congratulations
- Swimmer of the Night
- Medalists
Lachlan Davies (Warringah Aquatic) for his performance in the Men’s 13-14 Yrs 200m Backstroke (2:08.11)
Girls 12-13 Yrs 200m Back
1 Abbie Donelan (Wagga Wagga) 2:25.95
2 Isobel Mulcahy (Carlile) 2:26.54
3 Audrey Mak (Leichhardt) 2:27.07
Boys 13-14 Yrs 200m Back
1 Lachlan Davies (Warringah Aquatic) 2:08.11
2 William Brownlie (MLC Marlins) 2:11.99
3 Victor Strokin (City of Sydney) 2:14.89
Girls 15 Yrs 100m Freestyle
1 Jessica Cole (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) 57.54
2 Chloe Douglas-Byrne (Cruiz) 57.59
3 Dominique Melbourn (Warringah Aquatic) 58.26
Boys 16 Yrs 100m Freestyle
1 Marcus Da Silva (Cranbrook) 50.58
2 Koby Bujak-Upton (Knox Pymble) 50.92
3 James Gauci (SOPAC) 51.74
Girls 12 Yrs & O 200m IM MC
15-16 Yrs Medalists
1 Stephanie Bruzzese (Trinity Grammar) 2:41.92
2 Yasmine-Bella Younes (Bankstown Sports) 2:42.77
3 Amelie Springett-Kelly (City of Sydney) 3:29.51
17 Yrs & O Medalists
1 Jasmine Greenwood (Bay & Basin) 2:35.34
2 Taylor Corry (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins) 2:41.91
3 Maddison Hinds (Hornsby) 2:43.02
Boys 12 Yrs & O 200m IM MC
12-14 Yrs Medalists
1 Jayden Van Stralen (Picton) 3:03.67
2 Liam Togher (Knox Pymble) 3:13.86
3 Sebastian Webster (Sans Souci Sea Devils)
15-16 Yrs Medalists
1 Darren Sisman (Sans Souci Sea Devils) 2:24.23
2 Josh Graham (Young) 3:00.97
3 Daniel Lill (Campbelltown) 3:22.58
17 Yrs Medalists
1 Henry Hughes (Warringah Aquatic) 2:29.49
2 Lachlan Hanratty (Revesby Workers) 2:43.44
3 Johan Briedenhann (Revesby Workers) 3:01.38
Girls 16 Yrs & O 200m Breaststroke
16 Yrs Medalists
1 Isabella Johnson (SOPAC) 2:38.11
2 Bella Zhang (Knox Pymble) 2:38.62
3 Kyla Brown (Kinross Wolaroi) 2:41.07
17 Yrs & O Medalists
1 Emily Nobbs (Cruiz) 2:31.86
2 Bianca Fuller (Cruiz) 2:34.92
3 Rebecca Wilkins (V – Swimming Auckland) 2:36.96
3 Lily Mccowan (Tivoli) 2:39.12
Boys 17 Yrs & O 200m Breaststroke
17 Yrs Medalists
1 Jackson Kennard (V – Swimming Auckland) 2:20.85
1 Tyler Johnson (Warringah Aquatic) 2:29.92
2 Joshua Fernandez (Randwick City) 2:30.37
3 Kobe Chatterton (Sydney Uni) 2:31.10
18 Yrs & O Medalists
1 Haig Buckingham (SOPAC) 2:19.22
2 Bailey Crehan (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) 2:21.38
3 Alistair Gorgijovski (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) 2:21.81
Girls 14 Yrs 100m Breaststroke
1 Violet Walton (Narrabeen) 1:14.10
2 Isabelle Rae (Albury) 1:15.51
3 Gabriella Mcbrien (Norwest) 1:15.94
Boys 15 Yrs 100m Breaststroke
1 Matthew Kim (SOPAC) 1:06.26
2 Jonathan Nam (Trinity Grammar) 1:06.75
3 Oscar Kreutzberger (Albury North Lavington) 1:06.83
Girls 12-13 Yrs 100m Butterfly
1 Heidi Shumack (SOPAC) 1:06.73
2 Jaslyn Plummer (Warringah Aquatic) 1:07.82
3 Alexandra Nothdurfter (Mount Annan) 1:08.41
Boys 13-14 Yrs 100m Butterfly
1 Joseph Kim (Knox Pymble) 58.90
2 Joshua Jeung (Trinity Grammar) 58.92
3 Sterling Tuxford (Trinity Grammar) 59.92
Girls 15 Yrs 200m IM
1 Rafaela Kopellou (SOPAC) 2:23.38
2 Ava Rollason (Cruiz) 2:23.39
3 Rachel Allen (Ginninderra) 2:25.10
Boys 16 Yrs 200m IM
1 Samuel Higgs (Warringah Aquatic) 2:07.72
2 Hayden Hoang (SOPAC) 2:08.63
3 Remy Lennon (Warringah Aquatic) 2:09.42
Girls 16 Yrs & O 400m Freestyle
16 Yrs Medalists
1 Eva Allan (V – Swimming Auckland) 4:27.97
1 Dijana Mazumdar (Barker Aquatic) 4:29.41
2 Greta Saville (V – Haileybury) 4:33.13
2 Hannah Mayne (SOPAC) 4:34.97
3 Imogen Fikkers (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) 4:35.54
17 Yrs Medalists
1 Madeleine Gough (Carlile) 4:14.78
2 Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar) 4:20.04
3 Chelsea Jones (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) 4:23.64
Boys 17 Yrs & O 400m Freestyle
17 Yrs Medalists
1 Tommy Lane (V – Haileybury) 4:02.34
1 Charlie Gray (Revesby Workers) 4:02.81
2 Hugo Batchelor (V – Swimming Auckland) 4:06.36
2 Conner Maggs (Manly) 4:06.93
3 Jackson Mccleery (Newington) 4:08.07
18 Yrs & O Medalists
1 Matthew Galea (SOPAC) 3:53.61
2 Wesley Roberts (SOPAC)3:57.62
3 Kai Edwards (Carlile) 3:59.55
Girls 12 Yrs & O 50m Freestyle MC
15-16 Yrs Medalists
1 Kayla Wilson (V – Traralgon) 37.06
1 Yasmine-Bella Younes (Bankstown Sports) 30.41
2 Stephanie Bruzzese (Trinity Grammar) 30.81
3 Krystal Jessen (AquaBlitz Toongabbie) 31.01
17 Yrs & O Medalists
1 Jasmine Greenwood (Bay & Basin) 29.27
2 Taylor Corry (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins) 28.60
3 Jade Lucy (SLC Aquadot) 29.77
Boys 12 Yrs & O 50m Freestyle
15-16 Yrs Medalists
1 Darren Sisman (Sans Souci Sea Devils) 26.59
2 Declan Budd (Knox Pymble) 26.85
3 Harry Keane (Wagga Wagga) 29.28
17 Yrs & O Medalists
1 Riley Moore (Woy Woy) 26.26
2 Timothy Hodge (ACU Blacktown) 26.43
3 Alexander Tuckfield (SLC Aquadot) 26.75
Girls 12-14 Yrs 800m Freestyle
12-13 Yrs Medalists
1 Isobel Mulcahy (Carlile) 9:27.65
2 Charlotte Bowmer (Trinity Grammar) 9:32.83
3 Charli Barbour (Manly) 9:34.63
14 Years Medalists
1 Tilly Fikkers (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) 9:25.35
2 Heli Childs (PLC Sydney) 9:28.89
3 Kyah Shipley (Wests Illawarra Aquatic) 9:34.74
Boys 13-15 Yrs 1500m Freestyle
13-14 Yrs Medalists
1 Nicholas Macher (Revesby Workers) 16:26.67
2 Luke Higgs (Warringah Aquatic) 16:40.76
3 Brydith Peters (Cronulla) 17:14.33
15 Yrs Medalists
1 Oscar Kreutzberger (Albury North Lavington) 16:08.28
2 Jack Potier (V – Swimming Auckland) 16:46.52
2 Daniel Carter (The Hills) 16:56.97
3 Ruben Langley (The Hills) 17:30.17
Girls 15-17 Yrs 4x50m Medley Relay
1 Wests Illawarra A 1:57.27
2 Swimming Auckland A (V) 1:57.77
2 Knox Pymble A 1:58.48
3 Swimming Auckland B (V) 1:59.77
3 Cruiz A 2:00.85
Boys 16-18 Yrs 4x50m Medley Relay
1 Knox Pymble A 1:43.26
2 SOPAC A 1:44.57
3 Knox Pymble B 1:47.45
Girls 12-14 Yrs 4x50m Freestyle Relay
1 Manly A 1:49.84
2 Wenona A 1:50.95
3 Warringah A 1:51.44
Boys 13-15 Yrs 4x50m Freestyle Relay
1 Knox Pymble A 1:37.14
2 Warringah A 1:38.56
3 Trinity Grammar A 1:39.15
