Traralgon Swimming Club Wins 9^th Gippsland Title

For the ninth year in a row the Traralgon Swimming Club has claimed the Pat and Ken Hewat Trophy as the Premier Gippsland Club after a weekend of swimming at the Sale Outdoor Pool.

Ninety-four Traralgon swimmers participated in the Championships winning 61 Gold (46 Individual, 15 Relay), 50 Silver (40 Individual, 10 Relay) and 37 Bronze (34 Individual, 3 Relay) medals. The final point score was Traralgon - 1588.5 Warragul - 697.5 and Morwell – 550, East Gippsland – 498, followed by Sale, South Gippsland Bass and Moe Swimming Clubs.

Traralgon swimmers broke 50 Gippsland Records and 27 Gippsland Championship Event Records.

Jeremy Saunders (18) was named Male Swimmer of the Meet swimming all Open and 17/Over events and medalling in each, equalling the feat achieved by Ben Geard in 1999 when he won the Male Swimmer at Bairnsdale. Jeremy won 7 gold, 6 silver and 2 bronze individual medals, breaking 5 Event and 6 Gippsland records in the process.

Sarah Berryman (15) (5 gold and 7 silver individual medals ) was named Female Swimmer of the Meet, tying with Samantha Wilkins of South Gippsland. Sarah also won this award in 2007.

Jeremy Meyer (16) won 7 gold and 4 bronze medals in an outstanding performance breaking 5 Event and 7 Gippsland records. Ben Geard (26) won six gold medals and broke an amazing total of 19 records including all four Event and Gippsland records in the 17 & over 50m events. Elliot Shaw (14) was named 14/Under Swimmer of the Meet winning 3 gold, one 2ilver and 1 bronze.

Stephanie Morgan (15) won 3 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals breaking all of the butterfly records in the process. Caitie Mitchell (21) won 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal and broke the 50m freestyle Event record together with the 17/Over and Open 50m freestyle Gippsland record. Kirsten Lieshout (16) won 3 gold and 2 bronze medals and broke the 100m Event breaststroke record for 16 years.

Andrew Cameron (18) won 1 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals. Brayden Waltham (15) won 1 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze medals. Erin Roberts (9) won 1 gold and 2 silver medals and Jessica Norwood (10) won 1 gold and 1 bronze medals. Alexander Spehar (10) won 1 gold and 2 silver medals. Daniel Golcic (12) won 1 gold and 1 bronze medals. Alice Lieshout (14) won 2 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Charlie Askew (16) won 3 silver and 2 bronze. Matthew Dinsmore (17) won 3 silver medals and placed 4^th four times in the hotly contested 17 & over and Open events. Jye Thompson (16) won 1 silver and 1 bronze medals.

Michelle Ford and Scott Clare both won gold in the 35 years and over 50m freestyle event. Abbie Stockdale (21) won gold in the 50m backstroke event. Alexander Tsebelis (7) won a silver and a bronze medal. Aoife Coughlan won a bronze medal in the 11/12 years 100m breaststroke. Jacob Lampitt (10) won a bronze medal in the 50m breaststroke event. Dale Mitchell (19) won bronze in the 17 & over 50m freestyle event. Connor O’Neill (8) won a bronze medal in the 8 & under 50m backstroke. Kristie Smith (17) won 1 silver and1 bronze medal. Zoe Trembath (12) won a silver medal in the 11/12 years 100m breaststroke event.

Traralgon’s relay combinations were outstanding winning 38 medals and breaking numerous records, some of them longstanding Gippsland records.

Traralgon head coach, Brian Ford was delighted with the Traralgon win which tied Warragul Swimming Club’s record of Nine consecutive victories. "Winning our 9th Championship is just as exciting as winning our 1st. It is a reward for the hard work, dedication and commitment of our swimmers, parents, coaches and support crew who should all be very proud of their outstanding effort and achievements. We look forward to the challenge of even greater success next season as we strive to win No.10."

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