Five Narrabri Stingrays Swimming Club members and 10 more from Wee Waa Swimming Club travelled to compete at Swimming NSW Country Regionals events at the weekend.

Three Wee Waa swimmers were in action at Singleton, while seven of their clubmates and five Stingrays swimmers competed much closer to home in Gunnedah.

Both were run as two-day events.

Wee Waa Swimming Club’s Harry Bennett was impressive once again across the weekend in Singleton.

The 15-year-old competed in 11 events and raced his way to eight podium finishes.

He won the 15-years-and-over men’s 400-metre individual medley as well as the men’s 15-years-and-over 50-metre breaststroke, 100-metre breaststroke and 200-metre individual medley, and placed third in the 15-years-and-over men’s 100-metre backstroke, 100-metre freestyle, 100-metre butterfly and 50-metre backstroke.

Eleven-year-old Wee Waa swimmer Nate Dewson also medalled at the Singleton event.

He was the winner of the 11-years men’s 200-metre freestyle event and placed third in the 11-years men’s 200-metre individual medley event.

Nate also set a 5.54-second personal best time in the 200-metre individual medley.

Their clubmate Will Smith was also impressive across the weekend and recorded a 7.21-second personal best time in the 100-metre butterfly and a 1.11-second personal best time in the 100-metre backstroke.

In Gunnedah, all five of the Narrabri Stingrays swimmers achieved new personal best times at the event.

Nine-year-old Angus Irwin did so in the 50-metre freestyle (1.06 seconds) and the 50-metre breaststroke (0.32 seconds).

Eleven-year-old Ruby Irwin raced to personal best times in the 50-metre freestyle (2.34 seconds), 50-metre breaststroke (4.98 seconds) and the 50-metre backstroke (1.01 seconds).

Twelve-year-old Pip Collins, the Stingrays’ 2020-21 season Joanne Barnes swimmer of the year, also raced to three personal best times.

She did so in the 50-metre butterfly (2.10 seconds), 50-metre breaststroke (0.48 seconds) and the 100-metre breaststroke (2.15 seconds).

Fellow 12-year-old Stingray Bella Bakhuis also achieved three personal best times at the event, hers being in the 50-metre freestyle (0.91 seconds), the 50-metre butterfly (0.20 seconds) and the 50-metre breaststroke (1.56 seconds).

The oldest of the Stingrays members in action in Gunnedah was 14-year-old Millie Collins, who raced to four personal best times.

She set those in the 200-metre freestyle (0.22 seconds), the 50-metre butterfly (1.65 seconds), the 50-metre breaststroke (0.27 seconds) and the 100-metre breaststroke (3.39 seconds).

The youngest of the seven Wee Waa Swimming Club members in action at the Gunnedah meet was 10-year-old Eddie Lowick, who dominated in the pool across the weekend.

Eddie earned four gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal after racing to podium finishes in all seven events he competed.

He won the 10-years men’s 50-metre freestyle, 100-metre backstroke, 100-metre freestyle and 50-metre backstroke, placed second in the 10-years men’s 50-metre breaststroke and 100-metre breaststroke, and finished third in the 10-years men’s 50-metre butterfly.

Eddie also set new personal best times in six of those seven events, including a massive 6.57 seconds in the 100-metre backstroke.

Eddie’s brother Jack brought home six medals from Gunnedah after he too enjoyed a successful weekend.

The 12-year-old took part in eight events and won three of them, including the 12-years men’s 50-metre, 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke, and he also placed third in the 12-years men’s 50-metre butterfly, 100-metre freestyle and 50-metre backstroke.

Jack also recorded six personal best times.

Another Wee Waa swimmer earned three gold medals at the Gunnedah meet. That was 14-year-old Tayla Nott, who won the 14-years women’s 50-metre freestyle, 100-metre backstroke and 50-metre backstroke.

She also raced her way to a bronze medal in the 14-years women’s 200-metre freestyle event and set new personal best times in five of her six events.

Jaxon Gray also medalled at the Gunnedah meet when the 11-year-old placed third in the 11-years men’s 100-metre backstroke event, which he recorded a 4.82-second personal best time in as well.

Their clubmates Liam Nott, Will Clarke and Lilly Burford all narrowly missed out on medals at the two-day event, but all three swam personal best times.

Twelve-year-old Will set personal best times in all five events in which he competed, including the 12-years men’s 50-metre freestyle (0.68 seconds), 100-metre freestyle, (10.90 seconds), 50-metre breaststroke (4.72 seconds), 100-metre breaststroke (10.70 seconds) and 50-metre backstroke (3.56 seconds).

Fellow 12-year-old clubmate Liam recorded personal best times in the 12-years men’s 50-metre freestyle (1.06 seconds), 100-metre backstroke (3.84 seconds) and 50-metre backstroke (0.30 seconds).

Thirteen-year-old Lilly swam to two personal best times, which included 50-metre butterfly (2.20 seconds) and 100-metre freestyle (1.31 seconds).

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