Traralgon swimmers blitz at State Champs

The Traralgon Swimming Club were once again the dominant Country club at the Victorian Short Course Championships held recently at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

With its 36 strong team competing against the best in Victoria swimmers came home with 18 Gold, 8 Silver and 8 bronze medals breaking 4 Victorian, 10 Country and 29 Gippsland records.

The Club finished the 3 day meet with 931 points well ahead of its nearest Country rival Geelong on 464. It also finished 5th from all the Victorian clubs, its highest position ever in this Championship.

The star swimmer for the Club and for the whole meet was 12 year old Alex Tsebelis who won 10 gold and 1 silver from 11 events breaking 4 Victorian, 1 Country and 12 Gippsland records. The Victorian records were broken in the 100 fly (1.01.64, 100 back (1.01.79), 200 back (2.17.28) and 100 free (57.01) over a sensational weekend of racing.

15 year old Mikaela Cornelissen again had an outstanding meet with 4 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal breaking 4 Country and 12 Gippsland records. Country records were broken in the 100 free (56.04), 100 fly (1.00.70) and 100 back (1.02.26). Mikaela is proving herself to be a rising force in Age group swimming in Victoria with consistent performances at a National, State and Country level over the past month.

Other Gold Medallists were 13 year old Jasmine Doultree who hung on by 0.02 to win the 13 years 200 fly in 2.29.77; Brayden Haney winning 2 gold in the 16 years 100 breast – 1.05.91 and 200 breast – 2.20.08 and Melina DeCort in the 13 year old 200 back (2.19.73). Melina also won a bronze medal in the 100 back(1.05.09).

To complete the sweep of terrific performances the minor medal winners were 16 year old Georgia Tsebelis with 3 silver and 2 Country records (100 Individual Medley – 1.04.43, 100 back – 1.02.36); 13 year old Ellodie Reid – 2 silver and 1 bronze; Caiden Gill – 3 bronze and 3 Country records (15 years 100 free – 51.76 in heat and 51.67 in final, 200 free – 1.54.70);13 year old Fabienne Schoutens, 12 year old Lauren Akers and 11 year old Bridget Cain – all with 1 bronze.

Senior Head Coach Brian Ford was full of praise of the Club’s performance and his coaches – ” This was fantastic performance by the team of swimmers and coaches. The whole team was on fire with the preparation of coaches Ben Geard, Dean Gooch and Sam Fenton being spot on and timed to minute. The beauty of our results is the youth of the team. We had only one swimmer over the age of 16 so the future looks bright with our current batch and a number of good juniors to follow.”

The Club now has a number of swimmers competing at the Australian School Sports Championships to be held in Adelaide – Caiden Gill, Mikaela Cornelissen, Taylah Da Ros, Locke DeGaris and Chance Doultree, with Brayden Haney and Ellodie Reid joining Caiden and Mikaela in the Victorian State team to compete at the Australian Teams Short Course Championships in Canberra thereafter. Following these two competitions the Club’s swimmers will then be involved in Swim Camps at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra for the National swimmers and Lakes Entrance for the Juniors.

Day 3

The 3rd and final day of the Championships again saw the Club have a fantastic result with 7 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze from 28 finals. Records again tumbled with 1 Victorian, 3 Country and 6 Out of Gippsland marks being broken.

Alex Tsebelis again dominated the competition with 4 Gold medals, 1 Victorian and 3 Out of Gippsland (OOG) records.

Coach Ben and Mikaela

GOLD
Alex Tsebelis – 12 years 200 free – 2.07.30
– 12 years 200 IM – 2.19.59 – 12 years OOG Record
– 12 years 100 back – 1.01.79 – 12 years VICTORIAN and OOG Record
– 12 years 100 breast – 1.12.64 – 12 years OOG Record
Brayden Haney – 16 years 100 breast – 1.05.91
Mikaela Cornelissen – 15 years 100 back -1.02.26 14/15 years Country and 16 years/Open OOG
Melina De Cort – 13 years 200 back – 2.19.73

SILVER
Mikaela Cornelissen – 15 years 200 Fly – 2.19.41
Ellodie Reid – 13 years 100 free – 1.00.02
Georgia Tsebelis – 16 years 100 Back – 1.02.36 – 16/17 years Country record

BRONZE
Bridget’s Cain – 11 years 200 Fly – 2.46.53
Lauren Akers – 12 years 200 IM – 2.33.72

In other swims Caiden Gill broke the 14/15 years Country and 16 years OOG Record in the 200 free with a heat swim of 1.54 70.

Traralgon finished the meet with the outstanding result of No. 1 Country club and 5th in Victoria behind powerhouses Nunawading, Melbourne Vicentre, Surrey Park and MLC Aquatic and a final total as follows:

GOLD – 18

SILVER – 8

BRONZE – 8

VICTORIAN RECORDS – 3

COUNTRY RECORDS – 9

OUT OF GIPPSLAND RECORDS – 28

TOTAL TOP 10 FINISHES – 78

Overall a fabulous meet for all swimmers, coaches, parents and supporters.

Alex Tsebelis in full flight

Day 2

On day 2 of the Victorian State Age Short Course Championships the Club had a fantastic night with 28 finals coming away with 7 Gold, 1 Silver and 5 Bronze medals. Swimmers also broke 1 Victorian, 5 Country and 16 Out of Gippsland (OOG) records. Again star of the night was Alex Tsebelis who won 3 gold, broke another Victorian record and 4 OOG records. Not far away was Mikaela Cornelissen who is having a great meet with another 2 Gold and 1 Bronze medal, breaking 3 Country and 8 OOG records.
Details of a fabulous days racing are as follows:

 GOLD
Alex Tsebelis – 12 years 200 Breast – 2.40.61 – 12 years OOG Record
– 12 years 100 free – 57.01 – 12 years OOG Record
– 12 years 100 fly – 1.01.64 – 12 years VICTORIAN and OOG Record (50 split at turn) – 28.84 – 12 years OOG Record
Mikaela Cornelissen – 15 years 100 Free – 56.04 – 14/15 years Country, 16 years and Open OOG (Heat – 56.58 – 14/15 years Country, 16 years and Open OOG)
– 15 years 100 fly – 1.00.70 – 14/15 years Country, 16 years and Open OOG
Jasmine Doultree – 13 years 200 Fly – 2.29.77
Brayden Haney – 16 years 200 Breast – 2.20.08

 SILVER
Ellodie Reid – 14/u years 400 free – 4.26.11

 BRONZE
Caiden Gill – 15 years 100 free – 51.67 – 14/15 years Country and 16 years OOG Record  (Heat – 51.76 – 14/15 years Country and 16 years OOG Record)
Mikaela Cornelissen – 15 years 200 Back – 2.18.16 – 16 years OOG Record  (Heat – 2.18.22 – 16 years OOG Record)
Fabienne Schoutens – 14 years 200 Breast – 2.39.39 – 14 years OOG Record
Ellodie Reid – 13 years 200 free – 2.07.82
Melina DeCort – 13 years 100 back – 1.05.09

Other records broken during the day were Trent Morrow who broke the 16 years 100 free OOG time with a 52.06 in the heat. This record was broken later in the morning by Caiden Gill with a 51.76 and in the final with 51.67. 

Mikaela and Fabienne

Day 1

 DAY 1 of the Victorian Short Course championships saw 4 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze and 1 Victorian, 1 Country Victorian  and 6 Out of Gippsland (OOG) records to our swimmers. Alex Tsebelis set the standard for the night with 3 gold and 1 silver medal and a fantastic Victorian record in 12 years 200 metre Backstroke breaking gun Nunawading age group champion Nick Groenewald’s time by nearly 3 seconds.

Mikaela Cornelissen kept up her great recent form with 1 gold and 1 silver and being the first girl ever from Gippsland to break 26.00 seconds in the 50 freestyle. Details of medal winners on the night were:

GOLD
Alex Tsebelis – 12 years 50 free – 26.01 – 12 years OOG Record
– 12 years 200 back – 2.17.18 – 12 years VICTORIAN and OOG Record ( previous Victorian record – 2.20.00 held by Nick Groenewald)
– 12 years 100 Medley – 1.04.63 – 12 years OOG Record
Mikaela Cornelissen – 15 years 50 free – 25.84 – 16 years and Open OOG Record

SILVER
Alex Tsebelis – 12 years 200 Fly – 2.22.31 – 12 years OOG Record
Georgia Tsebelis – 16 years 100 Medley – 1.04.43   16-17 Victorian Country Record
– 16 years 50 free – 26.09
Mikaela Cornelissen – 15 years 100 medley – 1.04.89

BRONZE
Caiden Gill – 15 years 50 free – 23.94

 CLUB POINTS SCORE

 History of Club Points Score since 2007