Matthew Logan (eight golds) and Brittney Berger (one silver, four bronze) were among the medals at the country shortcourse championships. 090629AS21 Picture: AARON SAWALL
A SWAG of eight gold medals for 19-year-old Matthew Logan helped Warrnambool Swimming Club to a second-place finish at last weekend's Victorian Country Shortcourse Swimming Championships.
Warrnambool was pipped by Traralgon in the event's final standings but came away with an impressive haul of 29 medals from its 30 swimmers.
Head coach Jayson Lamb said Logan's eight gold haul was an impressive effort and the young swimmer's best medal collection to date.
``It's been coming. In the last six to eight months he's really taken the next step up,'' Lamb said.
``Two weeks ago he was in Hobart competing against Olympians.''
Lamb added that all the swimmers performed admirably at the quality championships.
``There was a few kids who have been putting in the hard yards and it really came to fruition,'' Lamb said.
Among the top medal-winners for Warrnambool were Melody Keith, 23, who won two gold, two silver and two bronze, while 17-year-old Xavier Darcy scored one gold, two silver and one bronze.
Other medallists included 14-year-old Brittney Berger (one silver, four bronze), 14-year-old Daniel Unwin (one silver, one bronze), 13-year-old Liam Darcy (one silver), 16-year-old Jordan Logan (one silver) and 13-year-old Eliza Mibus (one bronze).
Lamb highlighted Berger and Darcy as two young swimmers whose hard work in training had paid off.
``But they were all excellent,'' he said yesterday. ``I was really pleased with the way they all applied themselves and they all walked away happy swimmers.''
The next step is the state championships in Melbourne in two weeks.
Warrnambool Swimming Club has 23 swimmers entered in that event.
Personal bests all round - that was the outcome for Warrnambool's B2R Swimming Club on the weekend.
Six swimmers from the club competed at the Victorian Country Shortcourse Swimming Championships in Wangaratta and enjoyed a successful meet, coach Chris Russell said.
The best performers were also the busiest, with Ashleigh Pettigrew and Aaron Skinner competing in all strokes in the category for swimmers with a disability.
Pettigrew won two gold and a silver, while Skinner picked up two bronze.
Eleven-year-old Grace Tanner managed well in her first major meet, Russell said, and will take an extra level of confidence with her into the state championships in Melbourne in a fortnight.
Russell said the competition was especially good for the newcomers.
``It was a good learning experience,'' he said.
``Everyone went really well and they learnt a lot.''
He said the event was a good boost for B2R, which is rebuilding after a lull period.
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