The Coleambally Swimming Club’s development meeting on Saturday afternoon attracted 120 swimmers from across the Riverina and other parts of southern NSW.
This was the club’s first swim meet since 2019 where swimmer numbers were not restricted by COVID-19, and members were pleased with the turnout.
Coleambally Swimming Club president Naomi Jones said athletes from Yass, Tumut, Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Hay, Finley and Jerilderie joined their own 42 swimmers in the pool.
Jones said there was a particularly pleasing level of interest in the meet from a large number of clubs, as well as a high quality of racing from the participants.
“Two of the swimmers, Jacob Ambrose from Tumut, who is a member of the Wagga Swimming Club, and Matisse Salvestro from the Griffith Swimming Club were chasing national times,” she said.
“We don’t keep records of personal bests because we’re a development meet, but there were some great times achieved.”
Due to the higher than expected number of entrants, the event ran from 2pm until 5.30pm, an hour longer than predicted.
Prior to the swim meet starting, Swim NSW South Eastern and Southern Inland NSW club support officer Billy Nicholson ran two training sessions for the swimmers, involving 46 participants.
“Because we had so many interested, we had to split the session into two,” Jones said.
“Billy helped with showing better techniques for starts, turns and finishing.”