Swimmers finish strongly

Wanaka competitive swimmers, front from left, Emma Jackson, Emily Wilson, Max Schikker and Matt...
Wanaka competitive swimmers, front from left, Emma Jackson, Emily Wilson, Max Schikker and Matt Henderson; rear from left Brooke Dickey, Hannah Jackson, Erin Hurley, Francis Freeman and Tane Duncan at the Wanaka pool. Photo by Marjorie Cook
The small but booming Wanaka Swimming Club is punching above its weight, having finished this summer's season ranked sixth out of the 20 clubs competing at the Otago championships.

The club's 12-strong competitive squad produced one of Otago's three nationally- ranked swimmers at this year's New Zealand junior nationals - breaststroke exponent Matt Henderson (11).

Others have carved huge chunks from their personal best times at arious race meets.

Learn-to-swim and development groups have up to 40 participants.

President Warren Jackson said this week two highlights had been the competitive squad's success this season and sponsorship from real-estate firm Bayleys to improve learn-to-swim programmes.

He was delighted the local pool had extended its winter hours so swimmers did not have to "play catch-up'' with competitors who could swim all year round.

Mr Jackson hoped the Queenstown Lakes District Council would help maintain momentum by building an aquatic centre on Lismore Park.

Swimming coach Fiona Fairbairn is delighted with results from three swimmers at the Division II nationals in Wellington last month and six who raced at the Junior Nationals in Dunedin in February.

"Matt Henderson's probably had the biggest improvements in terms of technique, fitness and basic success... He really should be top in New Zealand in his age-group next year, I would expect,'' she said.

Henderson was the bronze medallist in the 10-year-old boys 50m breaststroke at the New Zealand Junior Nationals this year, finishing in 43:16, just outside his personal best of 43:14.
He was eighth in the 100m breaststroke in a time of 1:36:79.

Henderson's junior national competition results also gave him South Island rankings of first for 50m breaststroke, second for 100m breaststroke, third for 50m freestyle and fourth for 100m freestyle.

He also broke the Central Otago Primary School 25m breastroke record for his age-group by more than two seconds, recording a time of 19:52 at the recent meet in Cromwell.

Ms Fairbairn said Henderson's string of personal bests were due to his attention to detail and technique and his good attitude.

Lauren Kerr (12), who recently changed to Queenstown coach Frank Wylie, was also a top club performer despite suffering shoulder injuries.

She finished a credible fifth in the 200m breastroke for her age-group at the Division II nationals in Wellington just before Easter.

Emma Jackson (14) and Emily Wilson (13) also went to the Division II nationals and each slashed their personal best times by seven seconds - Jackson in the 100m breaststroke (1:28) and Wilson in the 200m backstroke (2:41).

Wilson returned personal bests in all of her seven races while Jackson swam personal bests or close to personal best in her races.

Add a Comment