Traralgon Strikes Gold (Twice) at Nationals

Top Traralgon swimmer, Jeremy Meyer (17) has won 2 Gold medals at the Australian Age Championships in Sydney last week. Fresh from finishing fourth and fifth at the Australian Open Titles two weeks ago, Jeremy narrowly won the 100M (1:04.10) and 200M (2:16.38) Breaststroke in the Boys 17/18 years age group. His performances over the past month have earned him a position on the Australian Junior team to compete against Japan in the Duel in the Pool Meet from the 8th-9th May 2009.

Jeremy’s coach, and head coach of the Traralgon Swimming Club, Brian Ford, won a position on the team as one of the senior coaches. Following the meet in Sydney, Meyer will apply for a scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport where Australia’s top coaches have indicated that he will be accepted following completion of his VCE in November 2009.

Overall the club had a wonderful meet with the 10 member team competing in 11 finals , breaking 1 Victorian State, 10 Victorian Country and 16 Gippsland Records.

Dylan Wyatt competed in three finals in the boys 17/18 year events with some outstanding results. Whilst not winning a medal, he broke a Victorian Record in the 200m Butterfly (2:03.77) and also claimed a Victorian Country record and Gippsland record in the 100m Butterfly (56.08) previously set in 1994 by Daniel Bertacco, and the 200m Freestyle (1:52.70). His time in the freestyle was a 19/ & Under qualifying time for entry into the Victorian Institute of Sport selections which will be made within the next month.

Sixteen year old Stephanie Morgan made two finals in the 100M (1:01.82) and 200M (2:17.09) Butterfly breaking three country and four Gippsland records and finishing in 4^th and 5^th position respectively. In the 100m event, Stephanie missed the bronze position by .03 second behind three of the top butterfliers in Australia including Emily Seebohm who won the event.

Kirsten Lieshout finished 7^th in the girls 17/18 years 100m Btreaststroke breaking Gippsland records in both the heat (1:13.93) and final (1:13.77). In the 200m event, although finishing as first reserve, her time of 2:41.84 was a new country Open and Gippsland Record.

Sixteen year old Alice Lieshout swam in the 100m and 200m backstroke breaking the Gippsland record held by Courtney Ford in the 100m event (1:08.14).

Charley Askew (17) is now the fastest female from Gippsland, breaking the 50m Freestyle record in a time 27.28 competing in the girls 17/18 year event and finishing in 16^th position in Australia.

Brayden Waltham was successful in breaking the boys 16 years 200m backstroke record held since 2000 by Tim Blackwood with his time of 2;13.77 and finished 17^th.

Traralgon’s two other swimmers, Jye Thompson (17) and Elliot Shaw (15) both swam strongly with Thompson achieving 2 personal best times (100m freestyle (55.86) and 100m butterfly (58.77) and Shaw equalling his in the 100m butterfly.

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