Sport
7 February, 2025
Annual swim meet a success
The Maryborough Swim Club held their annual swim meet for 2025 last Sunday, with 160 young swimmers competing in nearly 100 races throughout the day.
With the temporary unavailability of Maryborough’s outdoor pool, the event had to be relocated to Bendigo’s Gurri Wanyarra indoor Olympic 50 metre pool for another year.
Despite that, the event showcased the dedication and talent of the region’s up-and-coming athletes including 11 young swimmers from the Maryborough Swim Club.
With the meet also serving as an official qualifying event for the District Championships, swimmers were keen to show out with many recording impressive results, including several personal bests (PB) under the guidance of coach Randall Edwards.
Poppy Smith placed fourth in the 25 m butterfly, improving her personal best by an impressive 6.55 seconds. She also achieved a PB in the 100 m breaststroke.
Her younger brother, Harrison Smith, set his seed times in the 25 m backstroke, finishing in third and fourth in his events.
Sophia Willman brought a wave of momentum to Bendigo, claiming first in the 25 m backstroke and fourth in the 25 m freestyle. Her siblings Taylia and Alex also participated and put in strong performances.
They weren’t the only family on show, with the Bates family quartet — Georgina, Freddy, Lizzie, and Henry — demonstrating strong team spirit and determination in their events.
Meanwhile, Olivia Jardine delivered standout performances, achieving PBs in both the 50 m backstroke and freestyle, shaving almost four seconds off her previous best in freestyle.
She also delivered what many considered the swim of the meet, bravely powering through the tough 50 m butterfly leg of the team’s medley relay.
The event was heavily assisted by the generous support of volunteers, with 25 official roles filled alongside the assistance of local club Hawks Aquatics.
Club president Duncan Bates praised the efforts of volunteers, swimmers, and supporters, noting that despite the logistical challenges of holding the meet in Bendigo, the day was a tremendous success.
“Maybe we saw the future Ian Thorpe or Ariarne Titmus out there today — or maybe not. But regardless, everyone had a blast, gave it their all, and that’s what matters most,” he said.