PORT Stephens will showcase its finest swimmers this week when Nelson Bay Swim Club hosts the Fashion Fish Open Carnival at Tomaree Aquatic Centre.
Highly regarded swim coach Tom Davis has assembled a powerful young squad at Nelson Bay with nineteen of the club’s best prospects to participate at the two-day event commencing this Friday January 9 and concluding Saturday January 10.
All eyes will be on the club’s outstanding Newcastle recruit Hanna Mounter, who shone at the recent NSW Senior State Age Swimming Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre before Christmas.
The Hunter Sports Academy student was one of nine Nelson Bay Swim Club mainstays to compete at the prestigious event – winning a gold medal in the Girls 15yrs 400m Individual Medley final in an impressive time of 5:07.79.
She also bagged a silver medal in the 200m butterfly final (2:23.81) and bronze in the 200m Individual Medley (2:24.48) to cap a memorable meet.
A multi-skilled athlete who also excels in soccer and hockey, Hanna showed her versatility in the pool by finishing fifth in the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly, sixth in the 100m freestyle and eighth in the 400m freestyle finals.
The Swimming NSW Sharks squad member will be chasing more medals and personal bests in the Tomaree pool later this week with her talented squad mates.
Other Nelson Bay club swimmers to leave their mark were rising 13 year old Rafe Grant of Corlette, who clocked personal best times to claim bronze medals in the Boys 13yrs 1500m (19:02.39) and 800m (10:10.35) freestyle finals.
Elder brother Stefan Grant finished sixth in the Boys 14yrs 200m butterfly final and ninth in the 400m Individual Medley final while Lara Budd registered top ten finishes in the Girls 15yrs 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke finals.
Young gun Lachlan Parker also produced strong swims to finish sixth in the Boys 15yrs 50m butterfly final and ninth in the 50m freestyle final to underline his potential.
Newcastle recruit Bonnie Norton, 16, along with Isabella Hol, 16, Alexis Scott, 14, and Beau Gardiner, 13 were rewarded for their hard work by posting improved times in their events.
Testimony of the squad’s all round depth were the combination of Mounter, Norton, Budd and Hol that competed in the Girls Under 15-18 yrs Medley Relay – shaving three seconds off their entry time to qualify for this year’s National Age Swimming Championships.
By Chris KARAS
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
