Wharenui Winter Olympics Meet Report

Timaru Winter Meet

Coaches Report:

The Timaru Winter meet was held at the Caroline Bay aquatic centre in Timaru on the 5th and 6th August.

This was a very exciting meet for the club as we had 11 swimmers representing the Selwyn Club for the first time. These swimmers were Tyler Barron, Sonya Benison, Livia Botherway, Jackson Hickling, Ben Langford, Chenae Marillier, Brook McPherson, George Newell, Reece Oelofse, Carli Potgieter and Max Wright- Welcome to the team, we are very excited to have you all. The huge increase in members is a credit to all the hard work the Club and coaching team have been putting in over the last couple of months through the #DiscoverYourPotential and club training night initiatives and it is very pleasing to see so many new faces!

We had 105 swims over the weekend and from this we had 83 personal best times or new swims which is around 80%. We also only had 5 disqualifications which out of 105 swims, with over half of the swimmers being first timers is fantastic and a credit to all the hard work on technique and skills we have been doing at training. Swimmers who were disqualified showed a great maturity and attitude and took it as a lesson and something to improve for next time.

Medal Winners were:

Dylan Booysens Bronze in the 400 I.M, Silver in the 400 Freestyle

Taylah Martin Bronze in the 200 Backstroke

Alex Nash Bronze in the 400 Freestyle

Livia Botherway Silver in the 100 Breaststroke

Miki Tiltman Silver in the 100 Freestyle, Silver in 100 I.M, Silver 100 Fly

Special mentions to

Jade Frankland for swimming 8 personal best times from 8 swims.

Ben Langford for going under the minute in the 100 free for the first time.

Taylah Martin for swimming 5 personal best times from 5 swims, including an 11 second personal best time in the 400 Freestyle.

Dylan Booysens for adding his 400 Freestyle in New Zealand Short course list.

All the new swimmers for having a fantastic attitude giving it 100% in every race.

For the senior swimmers the continued improvement on personal best times is very promising as we move closer to the pinnacle meets for the season; South Islands and New Zealand short course. Knowing that you are able to race so well under fatigue pressure and heavy training you should be very excited about how you will be able to perform when you are fully tapered and fresh.

For the younger swimmers this was a great meet to get used to going away and staying with the team, you all handled yourselves very well and it was a privilege to be away with you. We received lots of positive feedback on your manners and attitude, and you should all be proud of how you represented the club. Take the lessons from your first competition and improve on them next time and we look forward to seeing you smashing your personal best times!! We have the Selwyn race night this weekend (13th August) and then the Vikings meet on the 20th August which will be a great opportunity to do this.

Thanks to all the parents for providing dinner for Saturday night, and to Jo Benison and Alison Botherway for helping to organise the meals and managing the kids at the accommodation and to Lisa McClure and Renee Martin for managing the team at the pool, it wouldn’t have been possible without all your help!

  

Wharenui Winter Olympics Meet Report

Well done to all swimmer who competed at the Wharenui Winter Olympics over the weekend!

The team is still in a heavy training workload and still managed to swim an impressive 42 personal best times from 66 swims- 64%!!!!!