COFFS Harbour swimmers have had a fantastic meet against the best regional swimmers in the state, bringing home a number of medals and top placings after blitzing times in the pool at the recent NSW Country Championships in Sydney.

Bella Teale swam an absolutely amazing 100m backstroke, winning her first Country Championship gold in the 14 years event.

She narrowly missed a medal in her 100m breaststroke placing fourth and improved her ranking in her 50m freestyle to earn her second top 10 finalist placing.

Her younger sister Layci Teale swam exceptionally well earning her first ever Country Medal, a silver in the 12 years
100m backstroke.

A massive 3 second personal best saw her win silver from lane 7 and she is tantalizingly close to her first national time.

Teale had an incredible two days of racing, competing in six events prior to the cancellation of the meet.

Swimming all events in personal bests, improving her rankings in all events and earning a further two top 10 finalist placings in the 12 years 100m breaststroke and 12 years 200m backstroke.

Finn Pengelly also earned himself a silver medal in the 13 years 100m backstroke, narrowly missing his first National Age Qualifying time.

Sylas Phillips was the fastest 15-year-old in the boys combined 15-16 years 100m backstroke, and earned fourth in the event overall.

His younger sister Piper Phillips also placed top ten in a gutsy 400m freestyle, placing fifth in the 12 years event.

Lilly Geddes, Andrea Thomson, and Mitchell Hickey also earned finalist placings.

Harley Teale, Remi Ogilvy, and Cale Ogilvy all competed at the event, which was their first NSW Country Championships.

Between them they swam some incredible personal bests, with Harley earning a top ten finalist ribbon placing fifth in the 10 years 50m freestyle.

The star swimming squad’s coach Sarah-Jane Weir shared with News Of The Area the immense pride she felt in their achievements over the 18 months she had guided them, with the Country Championships being the last meet she would coach them.

“I am exceptionally proud of this amazing group of young people and all they have achieved not just at this championship but over the last 18 months I have been their coach,” she said.

“It has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to be a part of their swimming story, from new qualifying times for Country, State and Nationals, NSW Championship medals and finalist placings, national finalists, these achievements are phenomenal for regional athletes and a credit to each athlete’s hard work and dedication.

“It was really sad to see the meet cut short, especially given this was my last meet with our team, as I have been offered a position by Swimming NSW, as National Age Coach in Western Sydney and I took up my new position last week.

Swimming has been a passion of mine for most of my life so to be able to share that with these athletes has been a dream come true.

“I’m excited by my new opportunity, but certainly sad to leave behind my incredible team.”

 

By Aiden BURGESS