Juniors impress at champs

The Subway Wanganui Swim Team younger brigade returned home victorious from the Taranaki Junior Championships in Stratford.

The nine-strong Wanganui junior squad arrived home from the two-day competition with a magnificent medal haul including 10 gold, four silver and one bronze, with all swimmers at least making the finals of their respective grades and disciplines.

Coach Andy McLay said while all nine swam extremely well 9-year-old Georgia Abraham excelled winning all six of her events to claim just as many golds. Abraham won the 50m breaststroke, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 100m individual medley, 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke.

"Georgia did exceptionally well winning some of races by up to 25 metres," McLay said yesterday.

Cayden Earles (10) was also in form winning the 100m IM, 100m breaststroke and 200m IM and was runner-up in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle.

Both Abraham and Earles qualified for the junior nationals in Auckland in January.

Jack Robertson (10), the only male in the squad, won gold in the 200m breaststroke taking 40 seconds off his personal best and came second in the 100m breaststroke.

Ten-year-old Nikki Forlong finished second in the 100m backstroke and made the finals of all her events.

Cheyenne Nightingale (10) came third in the 100m breastroke and like most made all her event finals. Millie Buchan (12) also made all her finals without placing while Maggie Jones (11) was a finalist in all bar one of her events. Ella Pudney (10) was another to make all her finals, while 10-year-old Lucy Somerville posted personal best times in all of her races.

"It was great to see a lot of new 12 and unders do so well. We are really competitive with our neighbours and it augurs well for the future. All in this squad are graduates of the Splash Aquajet Learn To Swim programme," McLay said.