The ‘Holy Grail’ of swimming in Victoria occurred on the March long weekend, with 23 swimmers flying the South Gippsland Bass (SGB) flag at the return of the Victorian Age Championship Long Course event at MSAC.

What a fantastic achievement for the 23 swimmers, aged between 12-18, who managed to qualify for State Championships. The club is so proud of you.

The swimmers managed to meet the tough qualifying times and compete over the five days in distances ranging from 50m to 400m in all strokes, against swimmers from 84 clubs throughout the state.

For several swimmers, this was their first big meet like this, due to Covid and to those in the 12 and 13 age groups.

It was a massive learning experience.

While not everyone made finals, for all swimmers a Personal Best was achieved in one, if not more events, with up to four or five and even eight seconds knocked off their best times which, for swimmers of this calibre, is a huge effort.

Those who represented South Gippsland Bass at the Victorian Age Championship Long Course 2022 are: Hayden Barnes, Billy Boyd, Maddison Boyd, Max Brocklesby, Asha Chalmers, Claudia Croatto, Olivia Holmes, Josh Hunt, Owen Jones, Milla Laub, Freya Liepa, Mosten Lumsden, Rahni Matheson, Sienna Matheson, Sophie McKenzie, Luke Muir, Skye Munro, Trinity O’Keefe, Cooper Quaife, Gypsy Quaife, Miah Roberts, Zac Sherar, and William Simmons.

Opening day

Thursday saw 15 swimmers competing, with six returning for the finals that night.

The team left with three medals, two gold and a bronze and some happy swimmers experiencing a return to the big event stage.

Friday morning 14 swimmers entered, with five swimmers qualifying to compete in the finals at night. Aa gold and silver headed home with the SGB crew.
Saturday, day 3 of racing did not slow the SGB team.

12 swimmers dove into the pool, with five going on to race in the finals that night.

Silver and Bronze came home with the team and some fingernail touches from the medals for several others.

Sunday saw 17 swimmers at the pool, with it being a night for the women in the finals, with six of the girls making it, some in their first finals experience.

There were some very close races, and several races came down to the millisecond.

For those at home, we loved the smiling faces on the scenes as we cheered you along.

Silver was the only medal, but several two – four second PBS and 2 National Qualification times meant for a lot of celebration.

Monday, the last day of the meet did not slow down the SBG crew, with 13 entering events and several making it to the finals.

The team wound up the meet in style with some fantastic swims and still smiling faces in the finals Monday night.

The event was broadcast on Swim TV, meaning family and friends at home, unable to make it down could watch and cheer their swimmers on.

We may not have been there on the sidelines but there were plenty of SGB families yelling at their TVs over the weekend.

Several swimmers managed to acquire national times and will be heading to Adelaide in April for the National Championships.

Well done to Trinity O’Keefe, Milla Laub, Rahni Matheson, Mostyn Lumsden, Sienna Matheson Sophie McKenzie and Skye Munro.

Olivia Holmes and Zac Sherar (who can’t swim at national events until their 13th birthday) also managed a national time.

Finalists

Max Brocklesby: 200m freestyle, 100m Butterfly.

Claudia Croatto: 7th 100 Breaststroke, 8th 200 Breastroke.

Olivia Holmes: 3rd 200m Butterfly, 1st 100m Freestyle, 6th 100 Breaststroke, 3rd 50m Freestyle, 2nd 200m Individual Medley, 2nd 100m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly.

Milla Laub: 5th 50 Backstroke, 5th 100m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle.

Rahni Matheson:1st 100m Breastroke, 2nd 50m Breastroke, 1st 200 Breaststroke, 6th 200m IM, 100m Backstroke.

Sienna Matheson: 5th 200m Breastroke, 8th 50m Breastroke, 4th 100 Breastroke.

Sophie McKenzie: 2nd 50m Breastroke, 5th 100m Breastroke, 7th 200m Breastroke.

Luke Muir: 200m Backstroke 10th.

Trinity O’Keefe: 6th 200 Breaststroke, 5th 50 Breaststroke, 5th 100 Breastroke.

Cooper Quaife: 8th 200m Butterfly.

Miah Roberts: 10th 100 Backstroke.

Zac Sherar: 7th 100m Breastroke, 5th 200m Freestyle, 2nd 200 Breaststroke, 9th 400 Freestyle, 100m Freestyle.