Sensational weather greeted us at Gordon Fetterplace Aquatic Centre on 12 February for the Senior College Swimming carnival. The serious competitors arrived at 7:30am for the 100m freestyle and 200m IM events and we were not disappointed with the results.
William Winsor of Year 12 broke a 20-year-old record in the Opens 200m IM performing a blitzing swim of 2:31.46 seconds. Jaxson Smith of Year 8 also broke a 17-year-old record in the U14 200m IM with a swim of 2:29.09 seconds. Looks like Jaxson might be preparing for an assault on the record books in the future.
As the students arrived at the pool, we prepared to move into the 50m freestyle participation races. Mass participation in these events from all age groups kept the students busy and engaged as they challenged each other for vital House points.
We moved through to the Championship stroke events which saw Jaxson Smith break another record in the U14 50m Butterfly, touching the wall in 28.61 seconds, once again adding his name to the College record books.
With restrictions on chanting and House cheers, the Year 12 students got creative and, with their personal masks on hand, indulged in a bit a friendly banter across the pool. Year 12 did a great job at dressing up in the “Best Dressed” competition with some of the boys putting on a show for head judge Mr Nelson.
As we headed towards the end of the day, participation in the Championship events hindered our progress to complete the Age Relays. We did, however, complete the following relays:
Champion of Champions Relay – the fastest 50m freestyle swimmer from each age and each House created a 7-man relay. Each age group swam their respective legs against each other culminating in the Open’s swimming the final leg.
It was such a close relay, so close it ended in a photo finish. Donovan first in with a time of 3:47.73 over Molloy (3:47.89), Laurentian (3:48.98) and Kilian (4:07.22).
Congratulations to Cooper Clugston, Jaxon Colman, Andrew Nothdurfter, Luke Cutajar, John Dimech-O’Connell, Tom Ferro and Thomas Grant for winning the Champion of Champions relay for Donovan.
The second of the relays was a Year 12 contest. Dubbed the “Battle of the Codes” as swimmers from College Basketball, Cricket, League and Football teams, represented each House in the 4 x 50m relay. The race was full of energy as Year 12’s engaged in their last ever race at the College representing their respective Houses. Having a mixed bag of athletes swimming, cheers from the remaining spectators boomed across the pool. Eventually, Molloy touched first with a time of 2:14.71 over Laurentian (2:22.17), Donovan (2:22.99) and Kilian (2:26.44).