MEMBER for Port Stephens Kate Washington demonstrated her timekeeping skills at the annual Nelson Bay Swimming Club Carnival at Tomaree Aquatic Centre.

Ms Washington helped clock the personal best times of the strong contingent while also inspecting the new lane ropes funded by the NSW Government’s Local Sports Grant Program.

“I would like to thank Minister for Sport Steve Kamper for backing community sport, and the Nelson Bay Swim Club committee and members for all their hard work,” she told News Of The Area.

Three hundred elite competitors from across 49 swimming clubs throughout NSW participated in the two-day meet, with the Nelson Bay club collecting a swag of medals.

The small club continues to produce outstanding results under the expert coaching of Tom Davies.

Corlette’s rising state champion Ebony Nix was a standout in the Under 17 Girls division.

The talented prospect won seven of her eight events, capturing gold medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke – plus a silver medal in the 50m breaststroke final.

Promising all rounder Lachlan Parker dominated the Under 14 Boys category with five gold medals from his seven swimming disciplines.

Parker won the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke, 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly finals and picked up a silver medal in the 200m individual medley and bronze in the 50m backstroke.

Emerging swimmer Rafe Grant produced five personal best times in his six events, which included winning gold in the Under 12 Boys 200m freestyle final and a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle.

His older brother Stefan performed strongly in the Under 13 Boys section, acquiring silver medals in the 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle finals plus bronze in the 50m butterfly, 400m freestyle and 1500m freestyle events.

Top prospect Isabella Hol showed her credentials in the Under 15 Girls division with three silver medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly finals as well as earning bronze in the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle.

Outstanding breaststroke prospect Lara Budd was rewarded for her intensive training by picking up two silver medals in the Under 14 Girls 50m and 100m finals and a bronze medal in the 200m event.

Beau Gardiner posted seven personal best times from his seven events in the Under 12 Boys ranks – earning silver medals in the 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke finals while Anekah Macklin collected a bronze medal in the Under 18 Girls 200m individual medley.

Promising ten-year-old swimmer Scarlett Connor achieved five personal best times from her eight events in the Under 10 Girls category and was rewarded with a bronze medal in the 100m butterfly final.

Other Nelson Bay club swimmers to impress were Evie Burns who recorded five personal best times from six events in the Under 12 Girls; Jacinta Scott, four PBs from five events in the Under 10 Girls; Alexis Scott, two PBs from four events in the Under 13 Girls; Thomas Colbert, three PBs from eight events in the Under 11 Boys and seven-year-old debutant Oceana Xie, who claimed three PBs from three events in the Under 7 Girls division in her first ever swimming competition.

Another exciting seven-year-old rookie Keana Macklin shaved a huge 21 seconds off her previous best time in the Under 7 Girls 50m freestyle event.

By Chris KARAS