Queensland have continued their clean sweep of the State Teams Age Short Course Championships, taking top spot in the event for the fifth consecutive year.
On the final morning of competition at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, the Queensland team managed to hold off New South Wales and Victoria as they edged closer to taking the title for the first time.
The sunshine state stole the win finishing with a total of 1,914 points, just enough to relegate New South Wales to second spot in 1,861 and Victoria to third in 1,717.
The fight for first place intensified on the last morning as swimmers raced to pick up much needed points for their respective states.
A further five meet records were broken, taking the total to 22 from the weekend.
South Australian sprinter Kyle Chalmers dipped just 0.01 of a second under the previous meet record in the boy’s 14-15 years 200m freestyle, taking the title in a time of 1:50.36.
The 15-year-old hit the wall two seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Victorian swimmer Benno Negri (1:52.29) and New South Welshman Caleb Hansford(1:52.40).
West Australian sprint specialist Braga Verhage continued his run of success, breaking his fourth record of the meet in the boy’s 14-15 years 50m breaststroke.
Verhage eclipsed fellow West Australian Tommy Sucipto’s record of 28.96 set in 2010 with a time of 28.91. Verhage took the points ahead of New South Wales swimmer Matthew Wilson (29.30) and Queenslander Zac Stubblety-Cook (29.59).
Western Australia claimed another record when Alex Milligan saw off a strong challenge from Zac Stubblety-Cook in the boy’s 14-15 years 100m breaststroke. Both swimmers were under the previous record set however Milligan (1:03.19) narrowly out touched Stubblety-Cook (1:03.25).
Matthew Wilson (1:04.71) continued his strong meet to finish third.
World Junior Swimming Championship relay medallist Chelsea Gillett was too fast for the rest of the field in the girl’s 15-16 years 200m freestyle, taking over a second off the meet record when she hit the wall in a time of 1:58.21.
Gillett touched ahead of fellow World Junior Swimming Championship representative Alanna Bowles (1:58.85) and New South Wales swimmer Sophie Taylor (1:59.07) who were both also under the previous record time of 1:59.50.
Bowles then moved up the ranks in the girl’s 14-15 years 200m butterfly to take the title in a meet record time of 2:11.55. Bowles picked up the points for Queensland from the first heat with New South Wales swimmer Meg Bailey securing second spot in a time of 2:11.60 in heat two. Third place went to Barcelona World Championship representative Chelsea Gubecka in 2:12.73.
In other events…
Girls 13/14 years 50m Breaststroke
Victorian swimmer Mikayla Smith won the points for her state in the girls 13-14 years 50m breaststroke. Smith (32.48) narrowly out-touched QueenslanderCalypso Sheridan (32.54) and New South Wales swimmer Rebecca Cross (33.10) to take the top spot.
Girls 15/16 years 50m Breaststroke
South Australian Ella Bond took out the title in the girls 15-16 years 50m breaststroke, hitting the wall in 31.78 in front of two Queenslander’s, Georgia Bohl(31.86) and Rebecca Welke (32.99).
Boys 16/17 50 Breaststroke
Queensland swimmer Max Muggeridge took out the title in the boy’s 16-17 years 50m breaststroke. Muggeridge (28.90) finished in front of West Australian Christopher Evans (29.08) and new South Wales swimmer Jayke Small (29.11).
Girls 13/14 200 Butterfly
New South Wales swimmer Emma Gillingham impressed in the girl’s 13-14 years 200m butterfly to break away from the field and win the title nearly two seconds clear of her closest competitor. Gillingham’s time of 2:17.91 was too quick for Queensland swimmer Shiraz Mulholland (2:20.10) and VictorianStephanie Whan (2:21.69).
Boys 16/17 200 Freestyle
Western Australian Damian Fyfe streaked away from the field to win the boys 16-17 years 200m freestyle title. Fyfe (1:48.70) pulled away from Queensland duo Max Carleton (1:50.27) and Blake Jones (1:50.70) to win the points for his state.
Girls 13/14 200 Freestyle
New South Wales swimmer Chloe Yoo (2:02.45) took out the girl’s 13-14 years 200m freestyle title ahead of Queensland swimmer Kayla Hoey (2:04.35) and Victoria’s Adelaide Wood (2:04.58).
Boys 14/15 400 IM
New South Wales 14-year-old swimmer Matthew Wilson finished off an impressive weekend with a win in the boy’s 14-15 years 400m individual medley. Wilson (4:30.48) took out the points ahead of Bradley Woodward (4:31.95) and Dylan Lewis (4:32.01) who finished second and third respectively.
Boys 16/17 400 IM
It was a one-two finish for New South Wales in the boys 16-17 years 400m individual medley with Joachim Bardrum (4:20.18) and Jake Baggaley(4:21.49) taking the points for their state. Victorian
Nicholas Groenewald (4:22.57) rounded out the top three swimmers.
Girls 15/16 100 Breaststroke
Queensland swimmer Georgia Bohl has won the points in the girls 15-16 100 metre breaststroke. Bohl (1:09.09) reversed the result from the 50 metre breaststroke to finish in front of South Australian Ella Bond (1:09.62) who claimed second with Karlene Pircher (1:11.40) third.
Girls 13/14 100 Breaststroke
Queenslander Calypso Sheridan finished first in the girl’s 13-14 years 100m breaststroke successfully defending her 2012 title. In a close finish, Sheridan (1:10.67) out-touched New South Wales swimmer Rebecca Cross (1:11.26) who in turn narrowly out-touched Victorian Mikayla Smith (1:11.31).
Boys 16/17 100 Breaststroke
New South Wales swimmer Jake Baggaley (1:02.70) continued a strong final session for New South Wales with a win in the boys 16-17 years 100m breaststroke. Baggaley beat Queensland’s Max Muggeridge who touched in 1:02.83 and Victorian swimmer Elijah Martin in 1:02.99.
Boys 16/17 1500 Freestyle
South Australian Ethan Owens was too strong in the final of the boy’s 16-17 years 1500m freestyle, taking the win over ten seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Owens (15:35.12) led from the start to touch the wall in a time of 15:35.12, ahead of New South Wales swimmers Lachlan Hansen (15:45.25) andHayden Hinds-Syndenham (15:48.25).
Mixed 8×50 Freestyle
In the final event of the competition, Victoria narrowly edged out a fast finishing New South Wales to claim the mixed 8x50metre freestyle event. It was neck and neck the whole race before Victorian Lachlan Wells and New South Welshman Peter Topalidis dived in for the final leg. Wells hit the wall for Victoria in 3:13.76 narrowly beating Topalidis who hit the wall in 3:13.99. Queensland rounded out the top 3 in a time of 3:15.05.
Full results and information are available at www.swimming.org.au
The following awards were presented at the conclusion of the meet –
13-14 years Swimmer of the meet: Rebecca Cross, NSW
14-15 years Swimmer of the meet: Kyle Chalmers, SA
15-16 years Swimmer of the meet: Alanna Bowles, QLD
16-17 years Swimmers of the meet: Dominic Richardson, QLD
13-14 years Champion Female team: Victoria
14-15 years Champion Male team: New South Wales
15-16 years Champion Female team: Queensland
16-17 years Champion Male team: New South Wales
The 2013 Champion Male Team: New South Wales
The 2013 Champion Female Team: Queensland
Champion Overall Team: Queensland
The above is an unedited press release submitted by Swimming Australia