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The Traralgon Swimming Club broke all records with its results from the Victorian State Age Championships recently held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. The Club once again finished top Country Club (1083 points to Geelong 333 and Wodonga 330), accumulated its highest points score ever and even more impressively finished 4th in the State- the highest position by any Country Club in the history of State Championships.
It’s 53 swimmers won 14 gold, 14 silver and 10 bronze medals; broke 4 Country and 16 Gippsland records with 86 top10 finishers.
Most successful swimmer was 13 year old Alex Tsebelis who won Age Group Champion with 1 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medal plus 4 other top 5 finishes – all swims were Personal Bests.
16 year old sister, Georgia was outstanding after a long period of illness winning 3 gold and 2 silver medals breaking Country and Gippsland records in the 100 free (57.44) and 200IM (2.21.23) and Gippsland records in the 200 Back ( 2.19.90) and 100 Back (1.04.30).
Newcomer to the Club, 13 year old Melina DeCort was outstanding in her age group winning the 100 Back in a new Country record of 1.05.94 and 200 Back in a Gippsland record of 2.22.90 plus silvers in the 200 and 400 Individual Medleys.
Training partner, 13 year old Ellodie Reid dominated her age group in the freestyle events wining the 100, 200, 400(in new Gippsland record time –
4.28.34) and 800 plus silver in the 200 Back and bronze in the 100 – a stunning performance from Gippsland’s premier distance swimmer.
16 year old Brayden Haney was the outstanding breaststroker in his age group winning the 100 and 200 events with great technique and precision racing. 15 year old Mikaela Cornelissen made a successful return from injury winning the 100 butterfly, silvers in the 50 and 100 free and bronze in the 100 back.
Other medalists were 11 year old Chance Doultree (bronze in the 100 breast),
13 year old Lauren Akers ( bronze in 100 free and 200 breast), 13 year old Connor O’Neill (bronze in 200 back), 15 year old Taylah DaRos (silver 100 fly, bronze 50 free), 15 year old Caiden Gill (silver in 50 free and Gippsland record in 100 free – 53.43) and 16 year old Maggie O’Keefe (silver in 50 free).
Traralgon s relays were once again outstanding with 2 medals and numerous top 10 finishes. Best relay was undisputedly the Girls 16 years 4 x 100 freestyle team of Bridie O’Keefe (1.01.00), Georgia Tsebelis (57.21), Maggie O’Keefe (59.06) and Mikaela Cornelissen (58.17) who won the Victorian title from the powerful Nunawading combination in a new Country and Gippsland record of 3.55.44. An honourable mention must go to the Boys 14/under years
4 x 50 medley team of Connor O’Neill, Alex Tsebelis, Locke DeGaris and Mitch O’Neill who won bronze by 0.12 – a fantastic effort by a team of 13 year old boys who will return next year seeking gold.
Senior Head Coach, Brian Ford was excited about the great result – ” We had a goal going into the meet to finish 6th at best based on the number and quality of swimmers from some of the other Metropolitan teams. However, our team was superb over the 6 day meet. Every swim was important to the team whether a final was made or a personal best achieved. To come 4th in Victoria is just a fantastic result – a tremendous reward for our hardworking swimmers, parents and coaches.”
The Club is now targeting the Victorian Country Championships in Wodonga over the Australia Day weekend in January. Having won 13 of the last 14 “Countries” and the last 9 in a row the Club is seeking No.14 and a decade straight of wins. “Countries is undoubtedly the best and most important Country meet of the swimming calendar. The whole Club rallies to maintain its outstanding success which has continued since 2000. We cannot wait to take on the other Country clubs to measure the quality and strength of our program. ” Ford commented.
Day by Day report
Day Six
The final night of States was a fantastic finish for the Club with 2 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals and the Club finishing in 4th position in Victoria – a truly historic occasion never been achieved by any Country Club.
Melina DeCort won gold in the 13 years 100 back adding to her win in the 200 with a big PB of 1.05.94, a new 13 years Country record. Mikaela Cornelissen came back from injury in the best possible way winning the 15 years 100 fly in 1.01.74.
Georgia Tsebelis won another silver in the backstroke events with a silver in the 16 years 200 in a new OOG 16 years and open record of 2.19.90. Silver was also won by brother Alex in the 13 years 100 back (1.04.35) after a great race between the top 3 place getters, split by only 0.25.
Taylah DaRos surprised with a great finish in the 15 years 100 fly picking up silver in a new PB of 1.05.18. Melina DeCort picked up the silver in the 13 years 400 IM gaining a new National time of 5.22.57.
Bronze medals were won by 11 year old Chance Doultree in the 100 Breaststroke(1.25.71), his first State medal; Ellodie Reid in the 13 years 100 back (1.08.00) capping off a big week of racing, medals and records..
In the summation of the week 13 year old Alex Tsebelis won overall Boys Champion of the meet, the second year in a row he has won this award.
The end result – 14 gold, 14 silver, 10 bronze, 4 Country and 13 OOG records – all in all a fantastic week!!!
Day Five
Another big night from the Club with 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal and again records.
Ellodie Reid opened the medal tally with a PB and victory in the 13 years 400 free recording 4.28.34, a new OOG record in the 14 years age group (breaking her own record) and Open, breaking the record set in 2002 by Kate Buckley by over a second. Alex Tsebelis won his first gold for the meet just touching out the second place getter by 0.03 in the 13 years 50 freestyle finishing in 26.14, a big personal best time.
Georgia Tsebelis was second in the 200 IM by a bare 0.13 in 2.21.23 breaking the 16-17 years Country record and OOG 16 years and Open times.
The Boys 14 years Medley team of Connor O’Neill (30.61), Alex Tsebelis (34.19), Locke deGaris (28.89) and Mitch O’Neill (27.16) claimed the bronze by 0.12 in a terrific time of 2.00.85 – a fantastic effort for a group of 13 year olds who will return next year.
At the end of the 5th day the Club is a strong 5th amongst all the Clubs in Victoria looking for its biggest points score in its history.
Day Four
Another sensational night of swimming by Traralgon swimmers has pushed the Club into 4th position in the overall points score – a feat never achieved in the history of the Club.
3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals with Country and OOG records was the final tally of the night.
Gold went to Brayden Haney in the 16 years 200 breaststroke (2.24.82) adding to his win in the 100 on Sunday night, Ellodie Reid in the 13 years 100 freestyle (1.00.47) adding to her 200 and 800 wins and the girls 16 years 4 x 100 freestyle relay of Bridie O’Keefe(1.01.00), Georgia Tsebelis (57.21), Maggie O’Keefe (59.06) and Mikaela Cornelissen (58.17) in a new Country Open and OOG 16 years and open record of 3.55.44.
Silver went to Alex Tsebelis in the 13 years 100 freestyle( 57.45) just being pipped at the wall by 0.03 of a second.
Bronze medals were won by Mikaela Cornelissen in the 15 years 100 Back (1.06.25) and in the swim of the night 13 year old Lauren Akers not only got the medal in the 100 freestyle but more importantly a National time of 1.01.17 – the 4th new qualifier for the Club at this meet.
Finally in the first leg of the Boys 4 x 100 freestyle relay Caiden Gill broke the Boys 16 years 100 freestyle record by 0.01 in 53.43.
With 2 more days to go the Club is looking at its best ever result in medals, points and position at this meet.
Day Three
On Day 3 of States swimmers have again had a fantastic night. With the Club sitting on 5th in points score at the end of Day 2 swimmers competed in another 16 finals to add to the previous night’s 14 and day one’s 12. In tonight’s competition swimmers won 2 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals with 5 out of Gippsland(OOG) records and another National swimmer in Bridie O’Keefe who qualified in the Girls 15 years 100 free swimming 59.60 in her heat swim.
Georgia Tsebelis again had a great night winning the 16 years 100 back in a new OOG for the 16 and open in 1.04.30. Melina DeCort won the 13 years 200 back in the fastest time ever recorded by a Gippsland swimmer in 2.22.90. This time not only broke the 14 years record held by Georgia but the long standing Open record from 2002 held by ex Traralgon swimmer, Sarah Allen. To complement the swim Ellodie Reid finished second in 2.24.56.
Silver medals were also won by Mikaela Cornelissen in the 15 years 50 free (26.89) and Caiden Gill in the 50 free (24.26) breaking his own OOG record. Bronze medals won by Connor O’Neill in 13 years 200 back (2.19.76) and Taylah DaRos (27.31) in the 15 years 50 free finished off the great night of competition.
So far at the half way mark of the meet the Club’s swimmers have won 7 gold, 8 silver and 5 bronze medals, 2 country records and 7 OOG records have been broken.
Day Two
Day 2 of States saw club swimmers bag another 3 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medal in 14 finals appearances.
Georgia Tsebelis added another gold by winning the 16 years 50 free in 26.53 ahead of captain Maggie O’Keefe in 27.10 taking the silver. Ellodie Reid also won another gold adding to her 200 win last night by winning the Girls 13 years 800 free by over 4 seconds. The final gold for the night went to Brayden Haney who won the 16 years 100 breast in the very good time of 1.07.53.
Alex Tsebelis won a silver in the Boys 13 years 100 fly and bronze in the 200 IM both in personal best times. The final medal went to 13 year old Melina DeCort who picked up silver in the 200 IM in a big PB of 2.32.36 just outside National time.
After 2 days of competition the club is sitting in 6th position just outside the top 5 with 4 more days of competition ahead.
Day One
A terrific first night at Victorian State Age Championships with the Club swimmers winning 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals from 12 finals.
Ellodie Reid won gold in the 13 years 200 free in 2.09.16 just beating the second place getter by 0.13. Georgia Tsebelis had a fantastic swim in 16 years 100 free winning in a new Country Age and Open and Out of Gippsland record of 57.44.
13 year old Alex Tsebelis won silver in the 200 Breast (2.41.19) and Lauren Akers won her first long course medal with bronze in the same event for girls (2.54.46).
Finishing off the night the girls 16 years 4x 100 medley team of Georgia Tsebelis, Fabienne Schoutens, Mikaela Cornelissen and Maggie O’Keefe won bronze in 4.25.72.
2 more swimmers obtained Nattional times – we congratulate Maggie O’Keefe and Connor O’Neill for getting their times to compete in Sydney in April.
December 14, 2013
Traralgon Swimming Club News