Swimmers power to big success at meet
The performances of Whanganui Swim Team members (back left) Shannon Schimanski, and WHS students 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.
Schimanski couldn't quite match her morning swim in the 50m breaststroke, but still swum an excellent race to record a time of 33.51 seconds and another national medal with her third placing in the very competitive 16-year-old category.
The night was not over for Whanganui swimmers with Lower swimming the opening leg of the 4x200m zonal relay for the All Stars (lower North Island) team which placed a creditable 3rd.
Day two saw good swims again from the pair both placing in A finals with Schimanski 10th in the 200m breaststroke and Lower 8th in the 50m free.
On day three the Whanganui duo were again taking their places on the podium in their respective age groups with Lower taking over 2 seconds off her 100m breaststroke personal best over the course of the day to claim bronze in a time of 1.15.93. The very next race saw Schimanski lower her personal best to 1.13.34 to claim her second bronze of the championships. The day was rounded out with a 10th placing by Lower in the 200m free.
The penultimate day of the championships for the first time saw all four Whanganui team members racing together. In the finals session Lower again achieved a top 10 finish with a 7th placing in the 200m backstroke.
The final day saw some more great swims with Lower once again climbing on to the podium with a gritty swim in the 200 IM holding off a fast finishing pack to claim her 3rd individual bronze medal in a time of 2.26.81, a personal best of over 2.5 seconds.
The day was capped off by with the four Whanganui swimmers teaming up to form a team for the 4x100m medley relay. Leading off in the backstroke Hogan swum a great opening leg in a field that included national age group and open record holder Gabrielle Fa'amasuli, and managed to keep the Whanganui club in touch with the field.
Schimanksi showed her class by reeling in a number of the opposition swimmers in the breaststroke leg. Forlong swum 3 seconds faster than she ever had before in the 100m butterfly, before Lower brought the team in for a credible 7th placing, ensuring that once again all of the Whanganui team achieved top 10 finishes at this national meet.
The next competition for the Toyota Whanganui Swim Team is the Whanganui Autumn meet at the Splash Centre on April 8 before the squad takes a well deserved break.
By Iain Hyndman
Wanganui Chronicle 29/3/17