Levin Swim Club can cool off after posting impressive summer results

Levin Swimming Club have posted some top results recently.

A young Levin swim team might be forced from the pool for now, but they can use the break during the current Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown to reflect on what was a good summer.

The medal haul started when the Levin club swimmers - mostly juniors with some swimmers in their teens - competed at Dolphin swim club meet in February, all looking to post good times for Division 2 competition.

The juniors were using the swim to prepare for the New Zealand junior Festival in Wellington a few weeks later and they all managed to progress, earning a bucket-load of medals.

It resulted in 15 swimmers from Levin aged between nine and 12 competing at the NZ Junior Festival at Wellington, recognised as the pinnacle of summer the meetings before the winter competition begins.

Lazarus Tunui, 12, was a swimmer of real promise with a huge personal medal tally, while all swimmers smashed personal best times.

Jack Kennett set the tone in the first race with the rest of the team urging him on, and that support was reciprocated and repeated by the Levin team throughout the weekend

Such was their support for each other in races and warm ups, it was noticed and won praise from various officials.

The 15 swimmers swam a total of 122 events between them - along with some doing relays - and posted 81 personal best times.

The biggest self-improvement in a PB came when Penny Tulloch shaved more than 30 seconds off her previous best 200 freestyle swim.

The Levin team won three gold, six silver and one bronze medal, with Te Hokotuku Gardiner–Hokianga, Lucas Clark, Oliver Kennett, Lazarus Tunui winning bronze in the 200m freestyle.

Coach Grant Campbell thanked parents of the swimmers for their support and Esta Kennett for her work in managing the team.

RESULTS: Siobhan Burgess, 12yrs: 8 swims, 8 PBs. Lucas Clark, 11yrs: 9 swims, 3 PBs. Te Hokotuku Gardiner-Hokianga, 11: 9 swims, 8 PBs. Tuhera Grey, 11: 9 swims, 4 PBs. Abigail Hall, 12: 10 swims, 7 PBs. Shayne Hapeta, 12: 9 swims, 9 PBs. Darcey Isaacs, 12: 6 swims, 5 PBs. Oliver Kennett, 11: 9 swims, 5 PBs, bronze in 50m breaststroke, silver in 200m breaststroke. Jack Kennett, 9, 6 swims, 4 PBs. Trent Morgan, 11: 7 swims, 5 PBs.
Carmen Su, 11: 9 swims, 3 PBs. Serena Su, 12: 7 swims, 6 PBs. Penelope Tulloch, 11: 9 swims, 7 PBs. Lazarus Tunui, 12: 8 swims, 2 PBs, 1st in 200m backstroke, 2nd in 100m medley, 2nd in 50m freestyle, 1st in 50m backstroke, 2nd in 200m freestyle, 2nd in 50m butterfly, 1st in 100m backstroke, 2nd in 100m freestyle. Arliyah Windley, 9: 7 swims, 4 PBs.

.