Traralgon Strikes Gold at National Titles
Traralgon Swimming Club has just completed its most successful Australian Age Group Championships ever with 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze medals; 2 Victorian records, 12 Country records, 23 Out of Gippsland records and one of its swimmers selected as part of the Australian team to compete in Mexico in July.
Starring for Traralgon was 16 year old Jeremy Meyer who won gold in the 100 metre Breaststroke in the time of 1.04.39 and Silver in the 200 metre Breaststroke (2.18.81) – both Victorian records breaking previous times which have stood since 1986. Jeremy’s 100 metre time was the fastest recorded at the meet which brings together the best young swimmers in Australia aged from 12 to 18 years of age. As a result of this performance he has been selected as an Australian team member which will compete in the World Youth Championships to be held in Mexico during July 2008.
Jeremy was very proud of his achievements. “I achieved the same results as the previous year but my times have now gone to a level which gives me the privilege to swim and represent Australia. I am very excited about the next step in my swimming career”.
Jeremy also competed in the 16 years 200 metre Individual Medley where he finished 6th in the time of 2.10.41.
18 year old Jeremy Saunders competed in his final Age Championships winning gold in the 200 metre Breaststroke in 2.22.54. Following a dominant third 50 metre lap when he gained the lead at the 150 metre mark Jeremy held on to win his first Gold after 6 consecutive years of competing at this level with silver being his best in 2007. Jeremy also backed up with a bronze medal in the 200 metre Individual Medley in 2.07.24, a new Country and Out of Gippsland record. Jeremy will now move on to Open level with his next meet being the Grand Prix in Canberra over the Anzac Day weekend.
16 year old Kristen Lieshout was the surprise packet in her age group’s Breaststroke events. Going into the meet with a best time of 1.16.04 for the 100 metre event and 2.48.68 for the 200 metre, Kirsten made a rapid rise in the Australian rankings.
In the 100 metre event Kirsten improved her time to 1.14.63 to be seeded third going into the final. The final was something else with Kirsten turning after the first 50 metres in 34.36 and powering home in a time of 1.12.81 with a silver medal, Country and Out of Gippsland records.
In the 200 metre event, Kirsten improved her time to 2.44.66 to make the final and further improved to 2.42.07 to finish 6th in Australia with a new Out of Gippsland record.
Kirsten is the first Traralgon female club member to win a medal at National level.
Traralgon’s tremendous relay results for the year continued at National level with the Boys 18 and Under 4 x 100 metre medley combination (Jeremy Saunders – Backstroke 1.00.97, Jeremy Meyer – Breaststroke 1.05.70, Andrew Cameron – Butterfly 56.57 and Matt Dinsmore – Freestyle 53.82) winning a Bronze medal.
This result makes Traralgon the first ever Gippsland Club to win a medal at National level – an outstanding performance against the best in Australia.
Traralgon also had a 16 year old Girls 4 x 100 metre medley relay. Sarah Berryman, Kirsten Lieshout, Stephanie Morgan and Charley Askew combined in the time of 4.29.68 to create a new Country and Out of Gippsland record.
Further outstanding performances for Traralgon were 15 year old Stephanie Morgan who finalled and finished 5th in her 100 metre Butterfly event in 1.02.77, Country and Out of Gippsland record; 18 year old Andrew Cameron who also finalled and finished 8th in the 200 metre Butterfly (2.04.47 – new Country and Out of Gippsland record), 15 year old Brayden Waltham who had 4 races for 4 PB’s; 16 year old Sarah Berryman who PB’d in the 50 metre Freestyle (28.03) and 16 year old Jye Thompson swimming his first Nationals in the 100 metre Butterfly (1.00.87).
Traralgon’s Head Coach Brian Ford was full of praise for his team’s results: