Swim Rotorua team achieve great results at National Age Group Championships

Swim Rotorua's National Age Group Swimming Championships team with coach Aidan Withington.

Athletes from Swim Rotorua “exceeded expectations” recently at the National Age Group Championships, according to coach Aidan Withington.

The club placed 11th overall - the club’s highest standing at the event in its history - and brought home 19 gold medals, six silver medals, and had five top-10 finishes from the event, held at Hawke’s Bay Aquatic Centre in Hastings.

The meet attracted over 650 swimmers aged between 13 and 18..

Withington told the Rotorua Daily Post via a statement: “It was very tight competition, with the 10th-ranked club, Roskill Swimming from Auckland, finishing only eight points ahead of Swim Rotorua..”

Ariel Muchirahondo, 15, won gold in eight individual events.

The previous week, Muchirahondo attended the Olympic trials and placed third in the 400m individual medley.

(From left): Swim Rotorua relay winners Leonard Rankin, Kai Jung-Ishida, Ariel Muchirahondo and Leo English.

“Ariel is on the right pathway to [becoming] a great athlete,” said Withington.

“His attention to detail and commitment to preparation is beyond his years.”

Leo English, 14, took gold in three races and silver in two.

“Leo has made huge leaps forward over the past 12 months, and it was great to see this in his results,” said Withington.

Bailey Conlon, 18, competed in the para multi-class, winning gold in three events and silver in another three.

Withington said Conlon’s race times were his fastest in 16 months and the athlete was thrilled.

Finley English, 16, placed first in one event and second in another.

The 15-and-under boys’ team of Muchirahondo, Leo English, Leonard Rankin and Kai Jung-Ishida won gold in the 4x100m freestyle race, marking the club’s first relay win.

Withington said he was very happy with this result.

Swim Rotorua's Zariah Lomas and Ngamihi Simpson.

“It was great to see the bright orange caps of Swim Rotorua ahead of all the top Auckland champs, and really shows the depth we are starting to achieve in the club.”

Other Swim Rotorua team members to compete were Ngamihi Simpson, 17 and Zariah Lomas, 13.