Words by Nick Crockford
Grace swimmers “exceeded our expectations” at the Vorgee Brisbane Sprint Championships, said club coaches.
The Rothwell club had 50 entrants in 169 races at the Chandler centre – well ahead of the previous maximums of around 40.
They returned with three gold medals, nine top 10 finishes, 16 top 20 finishes and a 67 per cent personal best success rate.
Massive effort
“All swimmers on the weekend exceeded our expectations and put in a massive effort,” said the coaches.
“We are very proud of all the PBs and are very impressed with the amount of swimmers that were ranked in top 10s and top 20s considered how many competed over the weekend.”
Grace president David Cunningham described it as an “awesome” achievement by an “awesome group of swimmers”.
Golden hat-trick
Max Cunningham led the way striking gold three times in the 11 Years 50m freestyle, backstroke and butterfly events.
He was also sixth in the Open backstroke despite being the youngest in the final by three years.
Ebony Campbell had three finishes in the top of her 17 Years 50m backstroke, butterfly and Open backstroke finishing sixth, sixth and seventh.
Tex Copeland had two top 10 finishes in the 11 Years 50m freestyle and butterfly.
Grace Swimming Club members will be back at Chandler this weekend for the Queensland Sprints on February 14-15.
Roll of honour
Medals: Max Cunningham 11 Years 1st in 11 Years 50m freestyle, 1st 50m backstroke, 1st 50m butterfly
Top 10: Macey Lawlor 11 Years 7th 50m freestyle; Tex Copeland 11 Years 9th 50m freestyle, 9th 50m butterfly; Eliška Pettit 17 Years 7th 50m breaststroke; Ebony Campbell 17 Years 6th 50m backstroke, 6th 50m butterfly 7th Open backstroke; Lachlan Millar 8 Years 10th 50m butterfly; Max Cunningham 11 Years 6th Open backstroke.
Top 20: Ebony Campbell 17 Years 12th 50m breaststroke, 12th Open butterfly, 14th 50m freestyle; Elise Banks 17 Years 15th 50m breaststroke, 18th 50m backstroke, 20th 50m freestyle; Tex Copeland 11 Years 12th 50m backstroke, 17th 50m breaststroke; Macey Lawler 11 Years 11th 50m backstroke; Olivia Smith 12 Years 11th 50 freestyle; Alia Shaw 12 Years 17th 50 freestyle; Keenan Martin 13 Years 19th 50 freestyle; Lachlan Millar 8 Years 15th 50m backstroke; Tiana Doyle 14th Open breaststroke; Mia Zietsch 14 Years 17th 50m backstroke; Oliver Agafonov 9 Years 19th 50m butterfly.
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