Freestyle sprint sensation at Senior State Age

21 January 2022
Narrabeen Relays NSW Senior State Age Night 2

After coming away with a silver medal in the Men’s 16 Years 100m Freestyle on night one, Knox Pymble sprinter Kai Lilienthal was back to show his depth as an athlete in the Men’s 16 Years 400m Free event. Conner Maggs (Manly) maintained a solid lead over his competition which would eventually earn him second place on the podium (4:07.38). Lilienthal dug deep in the final 50m, engaging in a head-to-head battle with Maggs to bring home a gold (4:06.29). Charlie Gray’s (Revesby Workers) measured swim earned him a bronze medal (4:10.82).

Revesby Workers’ Abbey Connor came prepared for the corresponding women’s event, buoyed by her night one 200m Butterfly victory. A full body length in front of her competition by the 200m mark, Connor quickly pulled away from the pack, leaving tough contenders Chelsea Jones (Wests Illawarra) and Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar) in her wake. Pushing through the pain threshold, Connor cruised into the wall and claimed gold in 4:15.70, a comfortable 5.5 seconds ahead of Jones (4:21.17) and Grant (4:22.93).

Australian Dolphin, Commonwealth Games silver medalist, and titleholder Brad Woodward (Mingara Aquatic) kicked off his State Age campaign in the Men’s 100m Backstroke. It was a blanket field showcasing the depth in talent in this event, with competitors representing NSW from all corners of the state – from the Central Coast to Taree and Manly to Orange. Stuart Swinburn (56.20) challenged Woodward (55.63) into the wall, but narrowly missed out on gold. Fellow Mingara Aquatic swimmer, Shaye Booth, claimed the bronze in 56.45.

Our NSW Freestyle sprint swimmers turned it on again tonight, starting with the Women’s 15 Years 100m event. Carlile’s Olivia Wunsch

Olivia Wunsch Swimmer of the Night
Olivia Wunsch Swimmer of the Night

powered down lane four and was first off the turn in 26.58, propelling herself out in front of her competitors with Dijana Mazumdar (Barker Aquatic) right on her heels. Despite having competitors hot on her trail, Wunsch’s confident and measured swim delivered her a convincing win in 55.13 – just above NSW Record time (54.88) - and earned her Swimmer of the Night! Mazumdar secured second place in 57.44, with Mia Fildissis (PLC Sydney) claiming third place from lane six in 57.56.

The competition was tight in the Men’s 15 Years 100m Freestyle, the podium open for takers at the turn. City of Sydney Aquatic’s Marcus Da Silva gained quick momentum after a skillful turn and was unreachable at the flags, more than a body length ahead of competitors. Da Silva earned the top spot on the podium in 51.37, shaving 2.03 off his Heats time. Contenders Joshua Kerr (Manly) and Koby Hall (Novocastrian), notorious for having to swim off twice at 2020 Senior State Age, were determined to not put in a repeat performance. Taking second place was Kerr in 54.06, followed closely by Hall in third (54.16).

Twelve-year-old Heidi Shumack (PLC Sydney) backed up with a thrilling performance in the Women’s 12-13 Years 200m IM after a solid win in the Women’s 12-13 Years 200m Breaststroke on night one. Her breaststroke proficiency served her last night, putting her well in the lead to take gold (2:30.62) after a sensational turn into the freestyle leg of her race. The dark horse in lane two, Olive Hutchinson (SLC Aquadot), charged ahead of the competition and pulled off a silver medal placing in 2:30.99. Ginninderra’s Taeya Williams secured the bronze after a fantastic finish in 2:33.06.

Fresh off his 100m Freestyle victory, Marcus Da Silva put up another worthy fight in the Men’s 15 Years 200m Butterfly. After a strong start Da Silva began to fatigue at the 150m mark, allowing guns James Gauci (SOPAC) and Samuel Higgs (Warringah Aquatic) to pull ahead. Off the turn first, Gauci held on through the final 50m, an arms-length ahead of Higgs, to claim gold in 2:07.43. Higgs earned the silver medal in a quick 2:08.49, leaving Da Silva to pick up his second medal of the night – the bronze - in 2:10.81.

It was gold or bust in the Women’s breaststroke events tonight. Competitors had their eyes on the prize, delivering a tight race in the first 50m. In a thrilling development in the last 30m, contenders Bella Zhang (Knox Pymble), Lily McCowan (Tivoli), Tilly King (Loreto Normanhurst) and Isabella Johnson (SOPAC) went head-to-head (to-head-to-head), with no weakness in sight. The four girls drove it into the wall in a nail-biting finish, with Tilly King touching first in 1:11.61, a hair in-front of Isabella Johnson (1:11.64). Tivoli’s Lily McCowan secured the final spot on the podium in a time of 1:12.83.

There's still plenty of Senior State Age action to come this week, with Day 3 Heats kicking off this morning at 9am. You can watch your favourite swimmers live or on-demand on SwimTV. Get your event pass for just $5.99.

21 January Congratulations

  • Swimmer of the Night
  • Olivia Wunsch for her performance in the Women's 15 Years 100m Freestyle - 55.13

  • Medalists
  • Men’s 16 Years 400m Freestyle

    1 Kai Lilienthal (Knox Pymble) 4:06.29

    2 Conner Maggs (Manly) 4:07.38

    3 Charlie Gray (Revesby Workers) 4:10.82

     

    Women’s 16 Years 400m Freestyle

    1 Abbey Connor (Revesby Workers) 4:15.70

    2 Chelsea Jones (Wests Illawarra) 4:21.17

    3 Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar) 4:22.93

     

    Women’s 17 Years & Over 400m Freestyle

    1 Tayla Martin (Carlile) 4:21.95

    2 Lexi Harrison (Narrabeen) 4:23.76

    3 Kirrily Edwards (Revesby Workers) 4:26.17

     

    Men’s 17 Years 100m Backstroke

    1 Daniel McLoughlin (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins) 57.44

    2 Callum Thomas (Loreto Normanhurst) 58.03

    3 Jamie Mooney (Wagga Wagga) 58.18

     

    Men’s 18 Years & Over 100m Backstroke

    1 Bradley Woodward (Mingara Aquatic) 55.63

    2 Stuart Swinburn (City of Sydney Aquatic) 56.20

    3 Shaye Booth (Mingara Aquatic) 56.45

     

    Women’s 15 Years 100m Freestyle

    1 Olivia Wunsch (Carlile) 55.13

    2 Dijana Mazumdar (Barker Aquatic) 57.44

    3 Mia Fildissis (PLC Sydney) 57.56

     

    Men’s 15 Years 100m Freestyle

    1 Marcus Da Silva (City of Sydney Aquatic) 51.37

    2 Joshua Kerr (Manly) 54.06

    3 Koby Hall (Novocastrian) 54.16

     

    Women’s 14 Years 200m Backstroke

    1 Maddison Provost (Valley Aquatic) 2:23.21

    2 Indianna Cameron (Knox Pymble) 2:25.25

    3 Ivy Gerstner (Revesby Workers) 2:26.32

     

    Men’s 13-14 Years 400m Freestyle

    1 Luke Higgs (Warringah Aquatic) 4:14.68

    2 Kirana Agung Anom (SLC Aquadot) 4:18.33

    3 Daniel Carter (Castle Hill RSL Dolphins) 4:19.72

     

    Women’s 12-13 Years 200m IM

    1 Heidi Shumack (PLC Sydney) 2:30.62

    2 Olive Hutchinson (SLC Aquadot) 2:30.99

    3 Taeya Williams (Ginninderra) 2:33.06

     

    Men’s 17 Years 200m Freestyle

    1 Jaimie Mooney (Wagga Wagga) 1:52.62

    2 Caleb Dryer (Trinity Grammar) 1:53.68

    3 Gabriel Wilczak (Trinity Grammar) 1:53.69

     

    Men’s 18 Years & Over 200m Freestyle

    1 James Koch (Sydney University) 1:50.63

    2 Matthew Galea (SOPAC) 1:50.75

    3 Se-Bom Lee (Carlile) 1:50.78

     

    Men’s 16 Years 50m Freestyle

    1 Tane Bidois (Knox Pymble) 23.54

    2 Kai Lilienthal (Knox Pymble) 24.05

    3 Edwards Dodds (Tumut) 24.07

     

    Women’s 16 Years 50m Freestyle

    1 Chelsea Jones (Wests Illawarra) 26.31

    2 Jaimie Delutiis (Wests Illawarra) 26.50

    3 Sophie Mayes (Trinity Lismore) 26.91

     

    Women’s 17 Years & Over 50m Freestyle

    1 Chelsea Edwards (V, New Zealand) 25.50

    1 Sydney Brown (Wests Illawarra) 26.16

    2 Holly Nelson (Abbotsleigh) 26.43

    3 Emily Jones (Hunter) 26.79

     

    Women’s 15 Years 200m Butterfly

    1 Gem Crittenden (Hunter) 2:20.94

    2 Alexandra Murray (Narrabeen) 2:23.28

    3 Lola Russell (Hunter) 2:24.10

     

    Men’s 15 Years 200m Butterfly

    1 James Gauci (SOPAC) 2:07.43

    2 Samuel Higgs (Warringah Aquatic) 2:08.49

    3 Marcus Da Silva (City of Sydney Aquatic) 2:10.81

     

    Men’s 13-14 Years 100m Butterfly

    1 Grayson Doig (Trinity Grammar) 58.98

    2 Joseph Kim (Knox Pymble) 59.03

    3 Jaxson Smith (Revesby Workers) 59.66

     

    Women’s 12-13 Years 100m Butterfly

    1 Lillie McPherson (Manly) 1:04.10

    2 Rachel Banfield (Revesby Workers) 1:07.71

    3 Niamh Higley (City of Sydney Aquatic) 1:08.79

     

    Women’s 16 Years 100m Breaststroke

    1 Tilly King (Loreto Normanhurst) 1:11.61

    2 Isabella Johnson (SOPAC) 1:11.61

    3 Lily McCowan (Tivoli) 1:12.83

     

    Women’s 17 Years & Over 100m Breaststroke

    1 Ashleigh Oberekar (Valley Aquatic) 1:10.58

    2 Felicity Chan (SOPAC) 1:10.71

    3 Emily Nobbs (Canberra) 1:11.32

     

    Men’s 16 Years 100m Breaststroke

    1 Christian Toia (SOPAC) 1:06.34

    2 David Kang (MLC Marlins) 1:09.02

    3 Joshua Sales (Hornsby) 1:09.38

     

    Women’s 16 Years 50m Backstroke

    1 Emily Ryan (Manly) 30.41

    2 Sophie Mayes (Trinity Lismore) 31.32

    3 Madeline Davis (Manly) 31.67

     

    Women’s 17 Years & Over 50m Backstroke

    1 Anneke van Zoggel (SOPAC) 29.03

    2 Emily Jones (Hunter) 29.31

    3 Elizabeth Gan (Lane Cove) 29.71

     

    Men’s 17 Years 50m Backstroke

    1 Callum Thomas (Loreto Normanhurst) 27.22

    2 Daniel McLoughlin (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins) 27.24

    3 Caleb Dryer (Trinity Grammar) 27.59

     

    Men’s 18 Years & Over 50m Backstroke

    1 Bradley Woodward (Mingara Aquatic) 25.97

    2 Shaye Booth (Mingara Aquatic) 26.30

    3 Stuart Swinburn (City of Sydney Aquatic) 26.38

     

    Men’s 15 Years 50m Backstroke

    1 Hayden Hoang (MLC Marlins) 26.72

    2 Nicholas Gladen (Macquarie University) 27.71

    3 Koby Hall (Novocastrian) 28.24

     

    Men’s 16 Years 50m Backstroke

    1 Tane Bidois (Knox Pymble) 26.87

    2 Alexander Foreman (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins) 27.06

    3 Armand Rood (Canberra) 27.63

     

    Women's 12-13 Years 800m Freestyle

    1 Lillie McPherson (Manly) 9:35.87

    2 Tilly Fikkers (Berkeley) 9:38.35

    3 Charlotte Bowmer (Sans Souci Sea Devils) 9:44.82

     

    Women's 14 Years 800m Freestyle

    1 Annika Fowler (Manly) 9:09.84

    2 Rafaela Kopellou (Revesby Workers) 9:16.61

    3 Chloe Brodrick (Tuggeranong Vikings) 9:19.35

     

    Men’s 13-18 Years 4x100m Freestyle Relay

    1 Knox Pymble 3:28.59

    2 SOPAC 3:31.31

    3 City of Sydney 3:32.44

     

    Women’s 12-17 Years 4x100m Freestyle Relay

    1 Wests Illawarra 3:51.08

    2 SOPAC 3:57.35

    3 Carlile 3:58.90

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