Stingrays enjoy success at NENW Long Course Area Championships and Speedo Sprint heats

A group of keen swimmers from the Narrabri Stingrays Swimming Club travelled to the Gunnedah Memorial Swimming Pool at the weekend where they competed at two Swimming New England and North West meets.

The Speedo Sprints heats meeting was held on Saturday and the Long Course Area Championships ran across both days.

There were 19 Stingrays swimmers in action across the weekend, some of whom were competing in a carnival for the first time.

Seventeen Stingrays competed in the Speedo Sprint Heats and there were five in action in the Long Course Area Championships.

Ten Stingrays swimmers raced to top-four finishes at the Speedo Sprints heat meeting. That saw them qualify for the state finals, which will be held at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Saturday, March 12.

Those 10 swimmers included Pip Collins, Angus and Ruby Irwin, Gracie and Maggie Lawty, Ava Smith, Zoe Malcom, Jedd Stanford, Ryan Warnock and Molly Winston-Smith.

Twelve-year-old Pip lined up in three events, all of which she qualified for the state finals in. She placed second in the 12-years-girls 50m freestyle, third in the 50m breaststroke and fourth in the 50m backstroke.

Nine-year-old Angus finished fourth in the nine-years boys 50m freestyle and breaststroke events.

Eleven-year-old Ruby placed third Ten-year-old Gracie finished fourth in the 10-years girls 50m freestyle and backstroke.

Eight-year-old Maggie raced to victory in the 8-years girls 50m freestyle and placed second in the 50m backstroke and third in the 50m breaststroke.

Eight-year-old Zoe finished fourth in both the 8-years-girls 50m backstroke and breaststroke.

12-year-old Ava finished fourth in the 12-years girls 50m freestyle.

Eight-year-old Jedd finished fourth in the eight-years boys 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke.

Nine-year-old Ryan finished fourth in the nine-years boys 50m backstroke.

Eight-year-old Molly won her eight-years girls 50m breaststroke event and placed third in the 50m freestyle and backstroke.

The entire group of Narrabri Stingrays swimmers who competed at the Speedo Sprints heats meet combined for 38 personal best times.

Those included Angus Irwin’s huge 52.43-second PB in his 50m butterfly event, Savannah Hughes’ 27.22-second PB in her 50m breaststroke event and Andre Leculier’s 26.39-second PB in his 50-metre freestyle event.

Among the highlights across the weekend for the Narrabri club at the Speedo Sprint heats and the Long Course Area Championships was four Stingrays girls racing their way to Country Championships relay times.

That included Ruby Irwin, Phoenix Malcolm, Ava Smith, and Pip Collins.

They will now compete at the 2022 Country Championships event, which will be hosted at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from next Friday, February 18, to Sunday, February 20, in the 12-years-and-under girls freestyle relay and medley relay.

Meanwhile, Pip and Millie Collins both earned a bronze medal each at the Long Course Area Champs in Gunnedah, while Angus Irwin went home with two bronze medals.

Millie also raced to three PBs, while Angus and Ruby Irwin and Pip Collins all set one new PB each.

Another Stingrays member who took part in the Long Course Area Championships was Daniel Smith, who enjoyed a phenomenal weekend in the pool.

The 14-year-old kicked off Saturday’s racing with a gold medal in the open boys 400m freestyle event, then earned another gold medal in the 13-14-years boys 100m breaststroke, which was his second event.

He went on to pick up silver medals in the 13-14-years boys 200m individual medley, 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 100m backstroke and also claimed a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle.

Daniel set six new personal best times from his eight events and was named the event’s 14-years boys age group runner-up.