Northland Take on the Aussies

A team of nine swimmers from the Northwave Swimming Club in Whangarei returned from Melbourne recently with some excellent results from the 2013 Victorian Age Group Short Course Championships.

Melita Raravula and Callum Prime were the two stand-out swimmers, winning a total of seven medals between them.

Raravula won silver medals in the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, and 100m breaststroke in the girl’s 17/18 age group. She also brought home a bronze medal in the 200m butterfly and finished 4th in the 100m freestyle, and 5th in the 100m individual medley.

Prime competed in the 13 year old age group, winning 3 silver medals in the 100m backstroke, the 200m backstroke, and the 200m individual medley. He also recorded top 10 finishes in the 50m and 100m freestyle, and the 100m individual medley.

The other Northwave swimmer to finish in the top five was 13 year old Ellie Eastwood, who recorded 5th placing’s in both the 100m breaststroke and the 200m breaststroke in personal best times.

Top ten finishes came from 16 year old David Van der Star in the 50m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, and 200m freestyle. 14 year old Josh Young was 7th in the 200m individual medley, while Poai Niha was 8th in the 16 years 50m freestyle.

The other three Northwave swimmers were Hayley McIntosh (14 years), Logan Howe (18 years), and Cheyenne Field (16 years).

Swimming Northland’s Coach of the Year Monica Cooper accompanied the swimmers to Melbourne, where they also trained with former Northland Swimmer of the Year Mark Cooper and his Surrey Park squad.