Swimming club captain Kit DeJonge capped another successful year in the pool by taking out six awards at the South Esk annual awards night.
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DeJonge, 18, was named overall club champion at a gala dinner at the Tailrace Centre, Riverside.
Club president Jayne Shepherd said that South Esk had enjoyed a year of achievements.
“Our gala evening is an opportunity for our South Esk family to come together, reflect and celebrate the achievements of our members and club overall,” she said. “We’ve had another incredible year and it’s wonderful to celebrate achievements from participation, personal best times and contribution to the club, right through to national qualifying times and setting world records!
“Our club captain, Kit DeJonge, is a wonderful role model and was certainly a well-deserved recipient of six awards, including the prestigious W.B. Bridley trophy for overall club champion.
“We have an amazing culture at South Esk and that’s something you just can’t buy.
“We’ve developed a balanced and holistic approach to the sport of swimming and are very proud of the way we nurture and develop our swimmers both in and out of the pool.”
DeJonge and co-captain Isabele Rush, 17, presented the 115 guests with a summary of the past year.
Sarah Read and Michelle Hinds received the Ikin trophy for contribution to the club and Kane Johnson received the club spirit award.
Other awards went to: Abbey Badcock and Henry Shepherd (fastest short course 50m free, 16&U); Taylor Raine and Fraser Sutton (fastest LC 50m free, 16&U); Morgen Hawkins and Kit DeJonge (fastest LC 50m free, 17+).
The awards for the swimmers with the highest placing in national championships went to Morgen Hawkins (ranked 19 in women’s open 50m breast) and Kit DeJonge (ranked 19 in men’s 17-18yrs 50m free).
Stroke champions were: Kane Johnson (800m, 1500m); Angus Robertson (back); Kit DeJonge (free); Fraser Sutton (breast); Hugh Dolle (fly). 400 IM: Kit DeJonge.
Head coach awards (presented to state title holders and in recognition of achievement, encouragement or improvement) _ 2016 state SC champs: Kit DeJonge, Jonte Adams, Morgen Hawkins: 2017 state LC champs: Hugh Dolle, Fraser Sutton, Melanie French, Aran Miller, Harry Reid, Samuel Cullen, Ethann Best, Jonty Pretorius, William O’Toole, Angus Robertson, Joseph Cook, Kane Johnson, Riley Kerr, Camryn Hawkins, Morgen Hawkins, Kit DeJonge, Jonte Adams; coach awards: Ruby Karas, Roisin Goodsall, Caitlin Knowles, Lachie Robins.
Age champions _ 8&U: Abbie King, Tyler Alexander; 9: Ella Fischer, Oliver Baldock; 10: Charlotte Pilsbury-Milne, Xavier Nesbit; 11: Georgia Curran, Hugh Dolle; 12: Bethany Howell, William Hinds; 13: Taylor Raine, Jonte Adams; 14y: Chantele Raine, Jonty Pretorius; 15: Melanie French, Fraser Sutton; 16: Abbey Badcock; 17: Morgen Hawkins, Kit DeJonge. Multi class champion: Aran Miller.
Winter champs
Short course winter regional championships take place at Launceston Aquatic Centre on Sunday, July 30. More than 130 swimmers from Northern clubs will take part.
Session one warm up is at 8am with competition from 8.30am; and session two warm-up is at 3pm with competition from 3.30pm.
World record
Aran Miller, 23, of South Esk, set a new Down Syndrome short course world record at the South Esk spring meet in June in the 50m backstroke (35.96 seconds) and a new national record in the 50m freestyle (30.77).
At the same meet, Hobart Aquatic’s Stefanie McCarthy broke the state girls’ 50m freestyle record (27 seconds) and Max Giuliani the 13 year boys 50m freestyle (25.60).
