Orange caps shine in Wellington

Ben White, Nikki Forlong, Georgia Abraham, Ethan Bryers, Jack Robertson, Cheyenne Nightingale, Sophie Bell, coach Andy McLay, Henry Carver, Aria Bannister, Liam Cromar, Cayden Earles.

While it was a new look format the Toyota Whanganui Swim Team still had some excellent performances at the NZ Junior Carnival, for the Lower North Island zone, in Wellington at the weekend.

This is the first year where the carnival was split into four zonal competitions, replacing a national meeting for the 12-and-under swimmers.

Standout local was Georgia Abraham, 11, won gold medals in the 50m and 100m backstroke events, along with gold in the 200m individual medley.

Abraham also placed second in the 200m backstroke and got bronze medals in the 50m and 100m butterfly for an outstanding six medal tally.

Also in the 11-year-old girls group, Cayden Earles and Nikki Forlong picked up two medals each with Earles claiming silver in the 200m IM and bronze in the 50m breaststroke, while Forlong got two bronzes in the 100m and 200m backstroke.

The other medallist from the Whanganui team was Ethan Bryers, 12, who showed his potential in the longer races, including a fine third in the 400m freestyle, with his time also a club record for the event.

Wearing their orange caps, every squad member posted personal best times including 25 and 26 second PB's by Forlong and Henry Carver in their 400m freestyle races.

Lucy Sommerville, 12, and Sophie Bell, 10, posted 21 and 17 second PB's.

The next national competition for the swim team is the Division 2 meeting in Rotorua from March 4-7.