Swimming: Greerton boys prove prowess, too

TOP EFFORT: Greerton swim team's multiple medal winners, Louis Fitzjohn (left), Connor Farrell, Lochlainn O'Connor, Libby Bradley, and Elliott Pugh (front).PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The two-day Taupo Xcelerate meet opened the winter swim season with a record 303 swimmers taking part, including 32 from the Greerton club up against the best in the Waikato/BOP, Auckland and Wellington.

Recent Greerton club success has centred around a strong female contingent, but Taupo showed signs the boys are also standing up to be counted.

Connor Farrell, 12, dominated his events, breaking three BOP records over the 50m freestyle (26.94), 100m freestyle (1:00.30) and the 50m butterfly (30.86) along with three other wins.

Teammate Lochlainn O'Connor, 14, won the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle events along with the 100m butterfly and the 100m and 400m medleys, the latter in a superb 4:55.79. Cai Jager, 15, took the freestyle sprint double with a snappy 25.93 win in the 50m sprint and a 58.09 win over the 100m.

Jacob Browne, 11, took out the 100m breaststroke; Connor Delaney, 10, won three medals also in the breaststroke events; Louis Fitzjohn, 11, was twice on the podium; Ian Pugh, 10, won four medals from four events including gold in the backstroke sprint; and Edward Fuller, 10, won three medals.

Edward's sister Madison, 12, led a strong Greerton Silver squad contingent to multiple successes taking out the coveted 50m freestyle splash and dash in a personal best 29.92. She picked up a further six medals in all other strokes bar backstroke.

Jessica Martin, 12, fought a desperate battle in the 50m fly to win by a fingernail to add to her 200m gold and 100m silver in the same discipline. Fellow 12-year-old Olivia Cumming medalled in the breaststroke sprints. Kim Cadzow, 13, snatched a couple of medals in her butterfly races while Caitlin Farrell, 9, went home with a sack full of medals - a 41.96 50m backstroke the pick of them. Jasmine Baggaley, 14, bolted home in the 200m breaststroke collecting gold.

The Gold squad girls were not to be out done, however. Libby Bradley, 16, won nine gold medals and three others in a tortuous programme. Libby was beaten to the wall by Danielle Waiari, 17, in the 50m butterfly.

Her sister Tessa Bradley, 14, took out the 200m medley while excellent speed led to her winning three sprint bronzes.

Keeley Johns, 16, finished with medals as did Ella Moor, 15, who booked a ticket to the NZSC champs winning four gold, three silver and a bronze, the pick being a 1:10.18 100m backstroke.

Marijke Hattingh, 14, won three silvers, while Lys Game, 15, snatched a bronze in the 200m backstroke.

Ella Browne, 15, won the 800m freestyle and Islah Kerr-Aim scored podium places in several sprints before taking gold over 1500m in the final event of the programme.