SOUTH-WEST swimmers are jumping at the chance to compete again following COVID-19 disruptions which limited their time in the pool.
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Warrnambool Swimming Club is sending 13 swimmers, aged between 11 and 17, to the two-day championships at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre this weekend.
Gemma Bond, Mikayla Bond, Oscar Cooke, Jude de Silva-Smith, Dylan Denaro, Jake Denaro, Emma Hannagan, Bridie Hargreaves, Mimi Jenkins, Jade King, Abbie McNaught, Georgia Turner and Kendra Wellens will represent the club at the 50-metre outdoor competition.
Club coach Jayson Lamb said he was thrilled with the representation and the fact there were new faces testing themselves at state level for the first time.
"The fact we've got that spread of age groups is something we haven't had for a few years so it's really promising," he said.
"We are really happy with that, especially given lockdowns and a lack of training.
"We are a bit luckier than the city folk, they were a lot later (getting back in the pool).
"You just have to make the most of what you've got in front of you."
de Silva-Smith, Jake Denaro and McNaught, who are all Warrnambool-based swimmers, are all considered strong medal chances in their pet events.
"Jude will be a good show in the 50m backstroke for the 13-year-old boys, Jake in the 12-year-old boys' 50m backstroke and Abbie in 11-year-old girls' breaststroke and freestyle will be thereabouts as well," Lamb said.
"They have trained really hard leading up to this and they are ranked in the top-10 or thereabouts in those events and they're straight finals.
"Usually it's a heat-final situation but this year they've gone straight finals."
Swimming Victoria country championships, which is "probably our biggest meet as a club", are on January 22-24 in Mildura.
Warrnambool Swimming Club will send a strong contingent to that swim meet.
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