Teams representing Gisborne won the Seymour Cup for female and male inter-district 8x50m freestyle relays.
Enterprise Cars Swim Team coach Matt Martin said it was the largest team they’d had competing in many years.
“It was great to have quite a few new children at their first swim meet outside of our own club nights, to experience the racing journey as part of our amazing team.
“Huge thanks to my coaching staff and our fantastic managers for helping to get every one of our swimmers to every race — no small feat with a team of this size.”
He said he didn’t like to single out individual performances. He was proud of “such a massive overall team effort”.
“I was especially proud of our 10-and-under boys and girls, who did an awesome job over a long weekend with very long hot days,” Martin said.
“They all kept on fighting with smiles on their faces.”
The meet was the first opportunity for Comet Swim Club head coach Glenn Hamblyn to see the club in action at a big event.
Hamblyn started in the role two months ago and has been assessing how the club operates before making changes to improve overall performance at swim meets.
He said the HBPB champs reinforced his thinking on the changes he wanted to implement in the new year.
“Change up the groups and training a little bit . . . it’s a long-term plan, not an overnight thing,” he said.
Most competitors in the HBPB scene enter as many events as possible, which gives them the best chance of being overall winner for their age group, but Hamblyn says he wants to change the emphasis.
He wants swimmers to focus more on their preferred discipline, and believes this will make the club more successful.
He says it’s not enough to rely on raw talent and strength at the national level.
A little bit more focus on their own performance would set swimmers up for the next step, “when they’re going to have to focus on their event”.
The Summer Champs provided the first opportunity to see how the early phases of the change have been working.
Hamblyn said he was proud of and happy with the club’s results, in what he said was a tough weekend with long days and hot weather.
“We’ve put work into doing things differently, and the kids have taken to it really well,” he said.
“It’s the responsibility with what they do themselves (at training) and engaging with what you’re training.
“It’s been a really good start . . . Comet did really well.”
MAJOR results from the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay Summer Swimming Championships at Gisborne’s Olympic Pool —
Enterprise.
Enterprise.
Napier Aquahawks.
Enterprise.
Jaimee Fisher (Enterprise).
Josiah Ney (Comet).
Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Comet).
Tyron Evans (Enterprise).
Evie Skidmore (Napier Aquahawks).
Jyde Low (Napier Aquahawks).
Grace Jones (Heretaunga Sundevils).
Joshua Taylor-Martin (Enterprise).
Josiah Ney (Comet).
Jaimee Fisher (Enterprise).
Jaimee Fisher (Enterprise).
Sophie Bryant (Napier Aquahawks).
Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Comet).
Evie Skidmore (Napier Aquahawks).
Kate Hurley (Napier Aquahawks).
Harriet Morunga (Enterprise).
: Millie Skidmore (Napier Aquahawks).
Katherine McEntee (Heretaunga Sundevils).
Josiah Ney (Comet).
Caleb Carlisle (Greendale Swim Club).
Tyron Evans (Enterprise).
Rixon Skudder (Comet).
Jyde Low (Napier Aquahawks).
Sam Skidmore (Napier Aquahawks).
Finley Day (Heretaunga Sundevils).
Luke Wright (Comet).
Enterprise A.
Sundevils A.
Enterprise A.
Sundevils A.
Napier Aquahawks.
Napier Aquahawks.
Napier Aquahawks A.
Napier Aquahawks A.
Napier Aquahawks.
Comet A.
Comet A.
Comet A.
Comet A.
Enterprise A.
Enterprise A.
Comet A.
Gisborne.
Gisborne.
