Young Stingray excels at the first swimming carnival of the 2025/26 season

The 2025/26 swimming season is underway and Narrabri Stingrays Swimming Club was represented in sensational style on Sunday when Charlie-Lea Hulbert secured a medal haul at the Inverell Swimming Club Development Meet.

The event was held at Inverell Aquatic Centre, where the 11-year-old Stingray earned two gold medals as well as two silvers and a bronze. She also swam personal best times in all seven events that she entered.

Charlie-Lea, who is the daughter of Paul and Amy Hulbert, started off on the front foot when her day got underway with the 11-12-years girls’ 50-metre freestyle, in which she placed second out of nine competitors to earn a silver medal.

She added to that early success by setting a 1.29-second PB in that event.

The young Stingray then competed in the 11-12-years girls’ 100-metre breaststroke event and narrowly missed out on her second medal of the day as she placed fourth. It was in that event that she secured her most impressive PB of the day as she dropped just over 50 seconds off her previous best time.

The gun Stingray returned to the podium in her third race of the meet when she placed third in the 11-12-years girls’ 100-metre freestyle and set a 2.45-second PB, and she followed that up with a sixth-place finish and a 2.23-second PB in the 11-12-years girls’ 50-metre breaststroke.

Charlie-Lea finished off the day in fine fashion with back-to-back gold medals in her last two events, which were both backstroke races.

She was victorious in the 11-12-years girls’ 100-metre backstroke event by 10 seconds while dropping 4.13 seconds off her PB, and she was also the winner of the 11-12-years girls’ 50-metre backstroke event by four seconds as she dropped 3.09 seconds off her PB.

Charlie-Lea’s coach is local swimming mentor Anne Bennett, who told The Courier that the young Stingray’s achievements at the Inverell carnival were well-deserved.

“Charlie works hard and she’s very dedicated. She never misses a training session and she has her goals set, which she works hard to achieve,” Bennett said.

“She did some massive PBs over in Inverell. I’m really impressed with those PBs that she’s done.

“She’s only going to get better from now on.”

Charlie-Lea’s hard work, determination and positive attitude not only paid off in Inverell on Sunday, but also led to her being named one of two encouragement award winners during week two of the Stingrays’ club night season alongside Florence Melton at the Narrabri Aquatic Centre on Monday.

She is now eyeing off her next carnival, which will be the Swimming New England and North West Long Course Development Sprint Meet at Tamworth Olympic Pool next month on Sunday, November 16.