TEN Bendigo East club swimmers gained qualifying times and competed with distinction at the Australian Age Championships on the Gold Coast last week.
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The competition for females 13 to 17 and males 14 to 18 is held over a week in the 50m long course pool at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in Southport.
The Bendigo East swimmers all achieved amazing results at the national competition, many of them producing personal bests.
The charge was led by Henry Allan, who claimed a trio of backstroke gold medals in the 15-year-old 50m, 100m and 200m.
Competing in his second long course championships, Allan gained a bronze in the 50m freestyle and finished 10th and 24th respectively in the 50m and 100m butterfly.
Allan added another bronze in the state freestyle relay and a fourth in the state medley relay, in which he produced a blistering personal best.
"I was happy with my performance at nationals," Allan said.
"It was a lot of effort to get my results, but I am grateful I had the guidance of my coach and support of my family.
"I am looking forward to representing my school Girton Grammar at the School Sport Victoria state event on Friday, April 19."
Competing at their first nationals, Gus Addlem, Azia Fong-Sutton and Audrey Hogan relished the step up in competition and experience.
Butterfly specialist and East Loddon Primary P-12 student Addlem, 14, produced a pair of personal bests in the 50m (0.51) and 100m (1.68).
Fong-Sutton produced personal bests in the 50m freestyle (0.44) and 100m backstroke (1.49) to place 10th and 24th respectively.
She also finished 14th in the 50m backstroke and 20th in the 100m freestyle.
Fong-Sutton, a year 8 student at Girton Grammar, could not speak highly enough of her first nationals foray.
"It was an amazing experience for me to meet swimmers from different states and even countries," she said.
"I was very happy with my swims, got into two finals, PBs in all of my individual swims and had lots of fun swimming with my teammates.
"I am now aiming to train well and get some times for 2025 national events, maybe a couple of other distances which I didn't get this year."
Hogan, who attends Catherine McAuley College, finished 50th in the 50m breaststroke.
Among the second-year nationals competitors, Zara Reynolds, 14, only narrowly missed a medal in the 50m backstroke in which she finished fourth.
One of Victoria's fastest backstrokers in her age division, Reynolds also placed 33rd in the 100m backstroke, 40th in the 50m freestyle and 79th in the 50m breaststroke.
Miller Nihill, who plays under-age football during the winter with Sandhurst, finished 55th in the 15-year-old 100m butterfly.
Cody Bird, 16, notched up a personal best in finishing 32nd the 100m backstroke (0.35) and was 55th in the 50m backstroke.
The Marist College student has achieved plenty in his many years of competition swimming.
His three siblings all swim, including older brother Jett, a decorated swimmer, who trains Bendigo East's juniors.
"I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the competition and the chance to race the best swimmers in Australia in my age group," Bird said.
Telani Bibby, who will take a break from swimming over the winter to play netball for Heathcote, produced a personal best in finishing 24th in the 17-year-old 50m butterfly (0.22).
Stephanie Moran, a year 12 student, who travels from Seymour to train at Bendigo East under John Jordan, savoured her second nationals experience.
The 17-year-old produced one personal best and finished 35th in the 50m backstroke.
"I loved catching up with other swimmers from around the nation that I had made friends with at last year's nationals," Moran said.
"I also loved swimming and also being with the Bendigo swimmers both at the pool and in the down time at the beach. "
Wil Anderson, 15, represented Bendigo East in relays and is in his second year with the club following a move from the Gold Coast last year.
Best of the relay results was achieved by Henry Allan, Miller Nihill, Gus Addlem and Wil Anderson, who finished 17th in the 14-15 boys 50m freestyle.
After finishing second in their heat of the 13-17 medley relay, Telani Bibby, Stephanie Moran, Zara Reynolds and Azia Fong-Sutton finished 24th overall, with all girls notching up personal bests.
