His dedication paid handsome dividends when he claimed three gold medals at School Sport Victoria’s state swimming finals in Melbourne earlier this week.

Mitchell claimed a freestyle hat-trick, winning the 15-year-old 50m, 100m and 200m events.

It was the 15-year-old’s first time on the podium at the championships at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

“I was hoping for a medal but I didn’t expect three gold medals,” the Timboon P-12 student said.

Mitchell said his weekly routine of seven sessions in the pool in Warrnambool could be tiring but he was grateful to his parents Michelle and Ashley for driving him to training.

He intends maintaining his schedule with an eye on the Victorian Country Short Course Championships but he will use under 17 football matches with Simpson to further boost his fitness.

His sister Shelby was also a state finalist at the championships.

Their school Timboon P-12 enjoyed its best state championships with the boys 12-13 years 4x50m freestyle relay team winning bronze.

Assistant principal Sean Fitzpatrick said it was the first time the small secondary school had won a relay medal at the championships. It finished 27th out of 130 schools that were represented at the championships on a team’s points score.

“We had 11 swimmers represent the school and we have never had that many represent the school at state level before,” he said.

South-west students and schools were well represented at the championships with Emmanuel College finishing 13th and Warrnambool College 16th overall.

Warrnambool College’s boys 18-20 years 200m freestyle relay team won gold while its students, Jamin Baulch (silver in the 18-20 backstroke), Thomas Buckley (silver in the 17 years 50m breast stroke, bronze in the 12-20 years 400m freestyle), Rhys Kent (silver in the 15 years 50m breast stroke) and Brittany Leach (bronze in the 16 year girls 50m freestyle) won medals.

William McPhee, 18, led Emmanuel College’s medal haul, winning the 50m butterfly and finishing second in the 100m butterfly, 50m and 100m freestyle and bronze in the 200m freestyle. Meg Flaherty picked up a bronze for Emmanuel in the girls 16-20 years 200m individual medley while schoolmate Lars Ralph claimed bronze in the 17-years 50m freestyle.

Brauer College had two students win medals, Emily Bartlett finishing second in the 12-15 year old 200m individual medley and Seamus Kelson third in the boys 12-13 50m breast stroke.

grbest@fairfaxmedia.com.au