2015 Georgina Hope Foundation Australian Age Swimming Championships
- Dates: Monday, April 13 – Monday, April 20, 2015
- Times: prelims 9 am, finals 6 pm
- Location: Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC), Sydney
- Live Results: Available
- Championship Central
The first part of the 2015 GHF Australian Age Swimming Championships is winding down, with the last day of competition for non-disabled athletes taking place on Saturday. The multi-class portion of the competition begins on Saturday and lasts through Monday.
The team race is a close one, with St Peters Western ahead of TSS Aquatics by only 35.5 points in the race for the overall club crown. Melbourne Vicentre holds an 11-point lead over Chandler for third.
- St Peters Western 1,036
- TSS Aquatics, QLD 1,000.50
- Melbourne Vicentre, VIC 933
- Chandler, QLD 922
- Carlile, NSW 692
- MLC Aquatic, VIC 643
- Nunawading, VIC 611.50
- Kawana Waters, QLD 586
- Miami, QLD 542
- West Coast, WA 536
The penultimate day of racing continued to show off the high level of youth swimming from the Land Down Under. 14-year-old Minna Atherton of Brisbane Grammar picked up her second gold medal, and fourth overall, of the week with a dominant 1:01.35 in the 100 back. Finishing second was Courtney Taylor from Tuggeranong Vikings with 1:03.12, while Canadian Penelope Oleksiak was third in 1:03.75.
Atherton had also competed in the 100 back at last week’s Open Nationals, finishing fourth behind Australian National Teamers Emily Seebohm, Madison Wilson and Hayley Baker, all three of whom will represent the Dolphins in Kazan. The 1:01.18 Atherton swam in that final is the second-fastest in history for an Australian 14-year-old.
Atherton discussed that race with Australian press after Friday’s final. “It was pretty intimidating,” she said. “But I was just going for the experience and to learn how to race against the older girls. It was a really good experience. I’m looking forward to my races tomorrow and throughout the rest of the year.”
Kyle Chalmers of Marion ended his week with a perfect four-for-four. After winning the 50, 100, and 200 free titles, the 16-year-old added a gold in the boys’ 16 100 fly. Chalmers improved his personal best by 1.8 seconds with a 53.14 in finals; he missed the age group record by .13 but became the second-fastest 16-year-old in Australian history by a full second. Alston Jeroff (unattached) and Bowen Gough (Trinity Grammar) tied for second with 55.20.
Nick Jennens of Carlile and Oliver Nash of Melbourne Vicentre have had a great week of back-and-forth victories. They each added a gold to their respective collections on Friday. Jennens won the 400 free with 4:13.34, a personal best by .7. Nash was second in 4:14.78, an 8.5-second improvement over his seed time.
Nash then won the 50 free in 24.78, his first time under 25 seconds and a personal best by .5. Nash jumped up to the fourth-fastest 13-year-old of all time with that swim. Kaleb Welfare (Yeronga Park) was second with 25.21, Lachlan Byrne (Sunnybank), third in 25.49, and Jennens fourth with 25.53.
All live results available here.
Other Noteworthy Day Five Results
- In a terrific come-from-behind victory, Sian Whittaker of Melbourne Vicentre passed Amy Forrester (St Peters Western) and Jessica Unicomb (All Saints) over the last 50 meters to win the girls’ 17-18 200 back in 2:12.33. Forrester was second with 2:12.38; Unicomb, third, in 2:14.36.
- Leon Macalister of Carlile went a best time by .7 and won the boys’ 14 100 back in 57.90, missing the age group record by .66. He now holds the second-fastest time for 14-year-old boys in Australian history.
- Larah Fedalto of St Peters Western won the girls’ 12-13 50 free in 26.06, dropping a half-second and moving up from eighth to third on the all-time list. Mariah Moshovis of Breakers was runner-up with 26.71.
- Elijah Winnington of Palm Beach Currumbin earned yet another gold medal winning the boys’ 14 400 IM with 4:35.08, dropping 4.8 seconds from his seed time. Auburn’s Finn O’Connor improved by 5 to place second with 4:39.70.