Blake’s 14-15 boys’ 100-metre freestyle win was the pick of his five-medal haul at the Victorian Country Swimming Championships in Geelong.

He slashed a chunk off his personal best in clocking 55.96 seconds to finish the three-day carnival on Monday on a high.

The Warrnambool College student said he was rapt with his performance.

“It was a lot (of time) that I took off. It was pretty good,” Blake said.

“I’ve been training a lot for it.

“I won by a far bit, like a second.

“I have nationals coming up. I am in the 50m freestyle and am trying to get into the 100m freestyle.

“I have a few meets in March (to try to qualify for the 100m). I go to Tassie and have a few more around that.”

Blake, 15, said he was working diligently to fine-tune his technique and better his times.

“Training has been really hard. It is really exhausting,” he said.

“I am trying to improve my butterfly. My freestyle is all right.

“I do every stroke but butterfly and freestyle are my better ones.”

Blake teamed with Warrnambool clubmates Lars Ralph, Jason Pritchard and Thomas Buckley to win silver in the 16 and under boys’ 200m freestyle relay.

He also snared bronze medals in the 14-15 boys’ 200m individual medley, 16 and under boys’ 200m medley relay, again with Lars, Jason and Thomas, and the 4x100m open freestyle relay alongside Jack Paulka, Dylan Lee and Jordan Logan.

Blake was one of two Warrnambool swimmers to win gold at the country championships, with Jane Fenton saluting in the 12 girls’ 100m backstroke.

Koroit-based Emily Bartlett was another star performer.

The Brauer College student was presented with the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association country achiever award for her hard work and improvement over the past 12 months.

Emily, 13, also finished with three medals in the 13 girls’ section — a 200m individual medley silver and bronze in the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle.

Her runner-up finish in the IM was the pick of her podium finishes.

“It’s never been my main event, so it was just a big surprise,” she said. “I did a PB in everything.”

Michael Paulka, Melody Keath, Emma Ragg, Chloe Windahl, Rachel Vickery and multi-class pair Ashleigh Pettigrew and Caitlyn Mackay also earned medals.

Warrnambool Swimming Club finished third overall at the championships behind powerhouses Traralgon and Geelong.

Club coach Jayson Lamb said it was a great effort, particularly given the now American-based star Isaac Jones was part of last year’s overall fourth placing.

“We are really happy with the way everyone went,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hamilton-trained swimmer Aaron Skinner enjoyed his most successful country titles, coming home with five multi-class medals.

Skinner, 23, won gold in the 50m breaststroke, 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly.The Warrnambool-based athlete secured silver in the 200IM and 50m backstroke.