Bond University came out on top of the competitive swimming combined team scores at the 2018 Australian Unisport Nationals (Div 1) that wrapped up on the Gold Coast yesterday. In the Unisport Nationals, Australia’s top 10 universities compete across 33 sports, with swimming having taken place September 25th – September 27th.
Behind Bond, who captured 291 points to take the combined team score, was Sydney University of Technology with 225 points, followed by Monash University with 179. Within just the women’s competition, Bond still came out on top with 179 points, followed by Sydney University of Technology (101) and Melbourne University (76). The men’s competition saw Monash University top the points with 131, followed by Sydney University of Technology and Bond University who finished with respective totals of 124 and 112.
With the Australian Short Course Championships, the meet that doubles as the nation’s Short Course World Championships Trials, coming up in just a few weeks, this inter-university championship served as more of an in-season competition for the elite talent taking part. Below are the top results from just a few of the high-profile Aussies who competed this week.
- Minna Atherton – Reigning World Junior Record holder Atherton of Bond University swept the women’s backstroke events with ease. The 18-year-old won the 50m on day 1 in 29.56, the 100m on day 2 in 1:01.71 and the 200 on day 3 in 2:16.06. Atherton also won the women’s 50m free in 26.38 and the 100m free in 57.05 to close out a successful championship.
- Kiah Melverton – The 800m freestyle bronze medalist from the 2018 Commonwealth Games represented Griffith University this week, snagging silver in the 100m free in 58.02. She topped the podium in the women’s 200m free in 2:02.00, a new meet record, while also winning gold in the 400m and 800m free events with respective podium topping efforts of 4:16.67 and 8:51.91
- Jack Gerrard – The 23-year-old Monash Uni swimmer was victorious in the men’s 50 back in 26.12, notching a new meet record in the process. He followed suit in the 100m back where his 56.38 established a new meet record as well as gold. The 2016 Short Course World Championships bronze medalist also took the men’s 200m free in 1:50.98 and claimed silver in the 100m free in 50.10.
- Laura Taylor– 200m fly Commonwealth Games silver medalist Taylor was in action in the women’s 200m free, finishing with the silver behind the aforementioned Melverton in 2:02.32. Taylor, 19, went on to win the women’s 100m fly in 1:02.40.
- Elijah Winnington – The Bond University swimmer and former teammate to Aussie elite sprinter Cameron McEvoy, made his mark on the men’s 400m free event, winning in 3:55.01, a new meet record. Showing his impressive range, the 18-year-old freestyle ace also took bronze in the 50m free (23.50) bronze in the 100m free (50.91) to close out his championships.