Narrabri Stingrays impress at Kootingal Moonbi Swimming Club’s carnival

It was an action-packed start to the year for 16 local swimmers across the weekend as a keen group of Narrabri Stingrays Swimming Club members travelled to compete at Kootingal Moonbi Swimming Club’s two-day carnival.

The Stingrays impressed on both days as they combined for a superb seven gold medals, 14 silver medals and 21 bronze medals.

All 16 Narrabri swimmers achieved at least one new personal best time across the weekend, with the group combining for an impressive total of 79 PBs.

It was a particularly successful event for the oldest of the Stingrays’ group in action at the Kootingal pool, which was 16-year-old Daniel Smith.

Daniel lined up in eight events and swam his way to podium finishes in them all, claiming two gold medals, five silvers and a bronze, and he also qualified for the boys’ 13-years-and-over dash for cash race, in which he placed second.

He set four new PBs across the two days as well, one of which was in the 200-metre backstroke event as he shaved 11.55 seconds off his previous best effort to earn himself a country qualifying time.

That was the Narrabri boy’s fourth country time to go with the 50-metre and 100-metre backstroke as well as the 50-metre freestyle.

Daniel’s sister Ava also has two country times – the 50-metre freestyle and the 50-metre butterfly – and they are now looking forward to attending the 2024 Swimming NSW Country Championships event at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from Friday to Sunday, February 16 to 18.

Before then, the duo and several other Stingrays swimmers will line up at Swimming New England and North West’s Speedo Sprints event next month on Saturday, February 3, and long course area championships on Saturday and Sunday, February 3 and 4.

Those two events will be held in Tamworth.

Next up on the New England and North West calendar is Tamworth City’s long course qualifying meet this Sunday.

At the Narrabri Aquatic Centre, the Narrabri Stingrays’ 2023/24 season will resume next month on Monday, February 12.

There are three more club nights remaining for the local club, and then following a week off, the 2023/24 club championships will get underway on Monday, March 11.

The final club champs night will be held on Monday, March 25, and the presentation night event will be held on Monday, April 1.