Central HB: Relay teams star at Special Olympic swim meet

Competitors line up to take to the pool.

Special Olympics Hawke's Bay held its annual swimming carnival for the Lower and Central North Island Special Olympic Clubs last Sunday at the AW Parsons pool in Waipukurau.

Ninety-eight athletes attended from Hutt Valley, Mana, Horowhenua, Wairarapa, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Tauranga and Thames valley.

Bagpiper Raewyn King opened the carnival with a march past, followed by James Farrell who quoted the Special Olympic oath: "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

Organisers thanked the Central Hawke's Bay Swimming Club members who organised most of the volunteer officials along with Special Olympics volunteers and parents of the athletes.

The next swimming carnival is in Palmerston North in June.

The results for the Hawke's Bay 16-strong team were:

Shaun Cameron - 100 backstroke 2nd, 50 backstroke 5th, 50m freestyle 1st

Greta Dineen - 25 backstroke 4th, 25 freestyle 2nd, 50 freestyle 3rd

McKenzie Donaldson - 100 backstroke 3rd, 100 freestyle 3rd, 50 freestyle 2nd

Lance Dustow - 100 freestyle 1st, 50 backstroke 2nd, 50 freestyle 1st

James Farrell - 25 backstroke 1st, 25 freestyle 3rd, 50 freestyle 1st

Briar Greaney - 25 freestyle 3rd, 50 backstroke 3rd, 50 freestyle 4th

Oliver Hirczy - 25 freestyle 4th, 15m unassisted swim 3rd, 25 backstroke 3rd

Mark King - 100 freestyle 4th, 50 butterfly 3rd, 50 freestyle 2nd

Kerryn Lowe - 100 backstroke 1st, 50 backstroke 2nd, 50 freestyle 1st

Meg MacKay - 25 backstroke 1st, 25 freestyle 4th, 50 freestyle 5th

David Male - 100 freestyle 2nd, 50 backstroke 4th, 50 freestyle 3rd

Karen Martin - 100 backstroke 3rd, 50 backstroke 1st, 50 freestyle 3rd

Greta Pattison - 25 freestyle 2nd, 50 backstroke 1st, 50 freestyle 4th

Deena Rigby - 100 backstroke 2nd, 100 freestyle 2nd, 50 freestyle 1st

Kelsey Trubshoe - 25 backstroke 2nd, 25 freestyle 4th, 50 freestyle 4th

Jamie Vance - 50 backstroke 4th, 50 butterfly 5th, 50 freestyle 3rd

The 4 x 50 freestyle relay team placed 1st, 4 x 25 freestyle relay placed 2nd and 4 x 25 medley relay team placed 1st.