It was an exciting weekend of racing for the 83 Gippsland juniors swimmers that recently represented Gippsland as District 21 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in the 2025 Country Junior District Competition.
Gippsland again led the way, retaining the title as most successful district, winning the competition for a remarkable 42nd year in a row after first winning it in 1983.
District 21 finished on 2631 points, with the second placed district Central District (941), highlighting the dominance of the Gippsland region.
The team was led by captains Tahlia Maccubbin and Hayden Rawson, with the meet was a great chance for many of the young swimmers to compete at their first state event, with the excitement of the big screen to see themselves and their results, with the stands full of families watching on.
The swimmers did a fantastic job at containing their nerves, competing against the best swimmers from regional Victoria.
The swimmers had Gippsland coaches, Trinity O’Keefe, Chelsea Spencer, Dave Vercoe and Lorri Mckenzie (SGB) on hand to help them with advice on racing, and their efforts, along with those of team managers, Josh Szkwarek, Brooke Said and Sarah Packer to help them make it to marshalling, was pivotal in the success.
Gippsland had outstanding results on the day, with most of the 83 swimmers finishing top 10 in an event, with some events having six or seven Gippsland swimmers in the top 10.
The event is a wonderful stepping stone for the young swimmers, with many of Gippsland’s best swimmers starting off their major event racing career as a member of the District 21 team.
Many of the swimmers on the day gained personal bests, with several of the older swimmers gaining qualifying times to allow them to come back and compete at the State Sprints Championship next month.
Gippsland were represented by Ada Abrecht, Mia-Rose Albanese, Quinn Armstrong, Riley Bartlett, Ivy Bevis, Beau Bigham, Eliza Biorci, Max Blackwood, Zara Brewis, Mitchell Britton, Annika Brown, Camilla Brownlow, Mason Camm, Oakley Campbell, Zara Campbell, Chloe Coates, Jazmin Cox, Arian de Ligt, Dartanian de Ligt, Ted Deery. Ruby Demetrios, Otis Evans, Allie Fazzino, Leon Fernando, Sarah Franklin, Macey Fraser, Skylar Gibson, Cayden Gunn, Eliana Gunn, Scarlett Hutchinson, Eli Hutty, Fynn Hutty, Lachlan Hynd, Reece Jones, Holly Krejzlic, Milli Kyle, Charlotte Lee, Leo Lofgren, Poppi Loft, Lathan Lucas, Tahlia Maccubbin, Aibel MacPherson, Alfred Marriot-Smith, Wilbur Marriot-Smith, Winnie Miklosvary, Chloe Morris, Righardt Nel, Summer Netzer, Emily Odlum, Ziggy Olszanski Riley O’Mara, Willow Orchard, Courtney Packer, Mitchell Packer, Heidi Peters, Lucy Pirouet, Ruby Pirouet, Taylan Pocklington, Byron Ponton, Mae Rankine, Dylan Rawson, Hayden Rawson, Mya Richer, Julian Robinson, Hannah Rochstad-Lim, Ivy Ryan, Abbie Saario, Caitlin Saario, Baylin Said, Amelia Saxon, Quinn Southall, Ruby Stagg, Hudson Styles, Xander Szkwarek, Matthew Thornby, Ryan Thornby, Angus Turnbull, Neille van Aswegen, Patrick Wendt, Kye Whiteside, Evie Whittaker, Lila Whittaker and Isabella Williams.
Winning performances included Ivy Ryan (nine years 50 butterfly/freestyle), Tahlia Maccubbin (11 year 50 backstroke/breaststroke), Lila Whittaker (nine years 50 breaststroke), Otis Evans (10 years 50 butterfly), Hayden Rawson (11 year 50 butterfly), Baylin Said (10 year 50 butterfly), and Leon Fernando (eight years 50 breaststroke).
Relays victories included the girls eight to nine years 200 metre freestyle, girls 10 years 200 metre freestyle and medley, girls 11 year 200m freestyle and medley, boys 10 year medley and boys freestyle.
