Golden long weekend

SUCCESS: The Masterton Swimming Club team was, back row: Ksenia Arnopp (left), Gracie Donaldson, Noemi Leinfellner, Ella Sims, Logan Allen, Asher Rayner, Mitchell Cockburn, Sam Hammond, Sian Dale, Oliver Donaldson, Zoe Flack; middle row: Lilly Hamill-Harris (left), Siena Cockburn, Cody McGlashan, Zachary Hullah, Kate Sims, Amy Rossiter-Stead, Charlotte Hamill-Harris, Lachlan O'Connell, Robert Rossiter-Stead; front row Hanna Cohr (left), Tabitha Leinfellner, Charlie O'Connell, Amelia O'Connell, Tom Parker, Sam Dale, Camryn Watt, Jayden Watt, Ryan Sullivan and Kayla Watt. Absent: Hayley Bresaz, Isabel Bresaz, Oliver Hammond and John McKeefry. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

ELEVEN gold, 12 silver and seven bronze medals, two Wellington records, four Wairarapa records, and more than 180 personal best times were the rich rewards for Masterton Swimming Club's team at the Wellington long course championships held from January 16 to 19.

Masterton's team of 34 swimmers aged from nine to 17 was the largest for many years to compete at the highlight of the regional swimming calendar.

The four-day meet involved seven sessions contested by swimmers from 32 clubs throughout New Zealand.

Outstanding youngster Siena Cockburn (10) broke Wellington records in the 50m and 100m freestyle, winning gold medals in both events and adding to the two Wellington age group records she set in the same events last year as a nine-year-old. She claimed more gold in the 50m and 100m backstroke, silver in the 200m freestyle and bronze in the 200m backstroke.

Noemi Leinfellner (13) showed her all-round class by winning her age group.

Her consistently impressive form produced gold medals in the 400m individual medley, 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke, silver in the 200 medley, 200 backstroke, 200 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and the 50m freestyle in a new Wairarapa record. She added bronze in the 100 breaststroke and 50m butterfly.

Teammate Kate Sims (13) won gold in the 800m freestyle in the opening event of the meet, and followed up with silver medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly, breaking her own Wairarapa records in the 50 and 100 events. She picked up bronze medals in the 400m and 200m freestyle.

Taking big strides in impressive personal best times was Amelia O'Connell (11), who won gold in the 50m breaststroke and silver in the 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Oliver Donaldson (13) won gold in the 50m freestyle in a personal best time and Robert Rossiter-Stead (11) took gold in the 400m individual medley. Sam Dale (11) improved his 200m breaststroke time to claim the silver medal.

John McKeefrey (17) picked up the bronze in the 50m freestyle, setting a new Wairarapa record. Swimming at his first Wellington champs, one of the team's youngest members, Charlie O'Connell (9), won bronze in the 100m backstroke.

"All team members contributed to a highly successful meet with heats in the morning and finals at night which took stamina and determination," Masterton Swimming Club head coach Anna Kitching said.

"Our swimmers were outstanding over the long weekend and backed up races with fantastic personal bests under tough conditions."

Kitching said the team's success was due to hard training, including at the club's annual five-day training camp held this month in Palmerston North, strong team spirit and mental toughness.

Masterton team members also achieved numerous national qualifying times.

The club will field teams at the NZ junior championships in Wellington in February, NZ division two champs in Dunedin in March and NZ age group champs in Wellington in May.