The performances of Whanganui Swim Team members (back left) Shannon Schimanski, Sarya Lower, Naimh Hogan and Alex Forlong at the national age group champs were nothing short of outstanding.
Personal bests, podium finishes, multiple national medals, a national title and top 10 placings were produced by four Toyota Whanganui Swim Team swimmers at the New Zealand Age Group Championships in Wellington last week.
The performances produced by Sarya Lower, 16-year-old Shannon Schimanski, Niamh Hogan and Alex Forlong at the
Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre were nothing short of outstanding.
Lower's achievement of five medals, including a New Zealand title, at a single national meet represents the best individual effort by a Whanganui swimmer in recent history.
Whanganui's top 2 swimmers, 16 year old Shannon Schimanski and 15 year old Sarya Lower were again to the fore, picking up the most medals between them including the national title for Lower in the 15-year-olds 50m breaststroke, and a Wellington age group record swim for Schimanski in the 16-year-olds 50m breaststroke.
The first day was Whanganui's best individual day with Lower throwing down the gauntlet to her competitors in the heats with the fastest qualifying time the 50m breaststroke and the 4th fastest in the 100m freestyle. With Schimanski also set to feature with her record breaking time of 33.21 seconds to set the second fastest qualifying time in her 50m breaststroke heat, it was shaping up to be an exciting finals session.
Lower didn't disappoint starting with an outstanding swim in the 100m free and to break the 1 minute barrier for the distance in a long course (50m pool) event with a 4th placing in a time of 59.95 seconds. She then had a short turnaround before claiming her first individual national age group title in the 50m breaststroke in a very tidy 34.32 seconds.
