NC attend Junior Zonal Festival
Fourteen North Canterbury swimmers attended the first ever New Zealand Juniors Festival in Timaru last weekend.
More than 1,200 swimmers aged 12 years and under are competing in the meets being held in Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington and Timaru at the same time to make it a national swim meet.
Swimmers had to qualify to attend the meet and coach Michaela said taking a sizeable team to the Southern Mako Zone was impressive.
‘‘It was great to have such a big team from North Canterbury,’’ Norman said. ’’It was great to test ourselves against the best young swimmers in the country.’’
All 14 swimmers produced solid results, with seven recording top-eight finishes in the South Island and one earning a medal.
Eloise Savry collected the bronze in the 200m breaststroke as well as finishing fourth in the 50m breaststroke and 100m Individual Medley as well as eighth in the 50m butterfly. Caleb Ruawhare finished just outside the medals three times, finishing fourth in the 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke.
Wills Graham had six top eighth finishes, with a sixth in both the 400m freestyle and 100m butterfly was seventh in the 200m individual medley and a treble of eighth placings from 200m freestyle, 100m IM and 100m freestyle.
Cassie Taylor was fourth in the 100m breaststroke, fifth in the 50m butterfly and eighth in the 50m backstroke. Lewy Bell was fifth in the 100m freestyle, seventh in the 400m freestyle and eighth in the 50m freestyle.
Isabella McConchie was sixth in the 200m backstroke and Georgia Dann was eighth in the 100m breaststroke
The medley relay team (Ruawhare, Taylor, Bell and Noemie Savry) placed 7th and the freestyle relay team (Bell, Taylor, Graham and Noemie Savry) placed eighth.
The North Canterbury team was 15th overall in South Island points. They held their own inhouse competition between the boys and girls, which the girls ended up winning 56-51.
The North Canterbury team was: Lewy Bell, Millie Bell, Georgia Dann, Talisker Dougan, Chloe Graham, Wills Graham, Jessie Kelliher, Isabella McConchie, Caleb Ruawhare, Eloise Savry, Noemie Savry, Bonnie Smith, Cassie Taylor and Daniel Webb.