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The Speedo Sprint Championship is only for the shorter distance of 50 metres.

Unlike other State-level carnivals, qualification is not based around an individual’s time. Instead, the first three place-getters advance to Sydney to compete against all other qualifiers from around NSW and the ACT. At the Sydney meet, the top ten swimmers will then compete in the finals.

The Barracudas were particularly strong in the girls 11 years old age group. April Saunders and Annie Phillips turned in outstanding swims in four races. Annie qualified in four strokes, winning the freestyle, backstroke and gaining places in the butterfly and breaststroke. Not to be outdone, April performed brilliantly with a five second personal best time in the butterfly, where she flew past Annie in the closing stages of the race to snatch victory. April also qualified with second places in the backstroke and the freestyle. Both girls will now head to Sydney full of confidence.

Angus Shaw did exceptionally well in the boys 11 years age group when he qualified in the four events. Angus came second in each of his swims and was narrowly beaten by the same swimmer in each.

Eva Urbanik-Lowe shined in the competitive 14 year old girls’ races, swimming personal best times and coming second in the backstroke and third in the butterfly.

It was a family affair for the Barracudas in several age groups, with the Harris brothers, James, 12 years, and Patrick, 9 years, qualifying in all four events. James came first in his four races and Patrick got three firsts and a second in his.

The Schwarz brothers Sam, 12 years, and Bailey, eight years, also qualified in several events. Bailey won the breaststroke and Sam got two second places and two third places with an exceptional personal best in his butterfly.

The Grayson twins, Madeline and Emma, competed against each other for the minor places in the girls 10 years age group. Honours were even, with Emma gaining third place in two events, the butterfly and freestyle, while Madeline gained third place in the other two events, backstroke and breaststroke.

Other qualifiers for the Barracudas were Jacob Carrasco, third in the boys 10 years butterfly, Ryan Craighead, second in 14 years boys backstroke and third in breaststroke, Matthew Ferguson, second in 13 years boys backstroke, third in butterfly, breaststroke and freestyle, Kaileigh Fryer, second in 14 years girls butterfly, Colby Heron, third in the nine-year girls backstroke, butterfly and freestyle, Darcy Hughes, first in the seven-years boys butterfly and freestyle, second in the backstroke and breaststroke, Kodie McDonald, first in the 15 years boys butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and second in the freestyle, and Dean Moore, first in 16 year boys freestyle and second in butterfly.

The next round of the NSW Speedo Sprint Championship will be held in Sydney in early March.

“The Batemans Bay Swimming Club congratulates all the Barracudas who qualified,” club spokesman David Taunton said.