Records fall to team in Aussie

Shannon Schimanski

The members of the Subway Wanganui Swim Team swam above themselves and came away with a lot of satisfaction from the Victoria State Age Group Championships in Melbourne last week.

Competing against swimmers from each Australian state as well as other visiting New Zealand teams over six days, the Wanganui team of eight girls and two boys came away with one open record, four Wanganui age-group records and over 80 per cent of the team achieved new personal best times.

The standout swimmer once again was 13-year-old Shannon Schimanski, who claimed a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke.

On the fifth day Schimanski finished her heat in one minute, 19.01 seconds to claim the second "visitor" place in the final with the third fastest time overall.

Under Victorian rules, only two swimmers from outside the state can contest a final.

The Wanganui teenager had fallen victim to this rule earlier in the 200m breaststroke heats as she made a personal best of 2:55.46 to be fifth fastest qualifier, but missed out because there were two visitors ahead of her.

In her evening 100m final, Schimanski led the race with a 35.46 second time through the first 50m, retaining a steady stroke rate.

However, she was caught in the third 25m section, having to hang on with a final burst to secure second place behind a swimmer from Western Australia.

Schimanski's time of 1:17.38 was a Wanganui Open record and took four seconds of her personal best.

Jacob Smith, 15 secured a finals place in the 200m breaststroke, placing fifth in a Wanganui record of 2:35.36 and also achieved a Wanganui record in the 100m breaststroke in 1:13.93.

Coach Jane Lowe said Smith achieved personal bests in six events including "substantial" improvements in the 400m medley (5:04.79) and 200m butterfly (2:25.83). Sophie Couper, 16, made the final of the 200m backstroke and placed seventh in 2:29.74.

"Elena Forlong, 14 and Laura O'Keeffe, 15 were kept out of finals by the two-visitor ruling," said Lowe.

"However, Forlong set a new Wanganui record in the 200m butterfly with a strong race in 2:34.74.

"Both girls achieved positive personal bests throughout the meet."

The swimmers have a short break over Christmas and New Year before returning to the pool to prepare for regional and national meets over the first four months of 2014.