Huge week in the water for Coast swimmers and surfers

It was a big weekend in the water recently with the Shaw and Partners Swansea Belmont Classic and Race One World Youth Championships clashing with the NSW Senior State Age Championships.

Held annually at Sydney Olympic Park, the State Age Championships are the premier event for pool swimmers, one of the last meets to gain national times before the National Age Championships to be held in Brisbane next April.

Showcasing the State’s fastest swimmers, the meet runs for seven days and mirrors an Olympic program with heats running in the morning and finals in the evening.

The meet produced some outstanding results from Central Coast swimmers with Ashton Bone, Kye McDermott and Bodi Bone all dominating in the long-distance events.

Ashton Bone, swimming for the Gosford Stingrays, smashed his two-week-old personal best in the men’s 13-year 1500m and 800m freestyle to bring home State gold in both events, and currently gives him a ranking of number one in Australia for these two events.

His coach Ross Tait couldn’t be prouder.

McDermott, of the Mingara Swim Club, also took home gold in the 14-year men’s 1500m free in a gutsy swim.

He also medalled in the 800m, nabbing second position and a silver medal.

Other standout performances included Jodie Mead, who won bronze in both the 16-year women’s 50m free and fly; Alexander Foreman for winning silver in both the 18-years and over 200m and 100m back events; Cash Milner, who won silver in both the 17-year men’s 50m and 100m fly; and Bodi Bone, who swam a strong 15-year men’s 800m free final, and claimed a bronze medal.

An honourable mention goes to Archie Wright of Mingara who scored an impressive 102 points and walked away with three fourth places in his 13-year-old men’s events.

In the multiclass events, Summer Klein of KPD came home with two golds and a bronze in the women’s 12 and over 200 IM, 50m fly, and the 200m free respectively.

Aaliyah Currie of Mingara also medalled in her freestyle events, claiming bronze and two silvers in the 100m, 200m, and 400m distances.

In the surf, the Shaw & Partners Swansea Belmont Classic kicked off at Blacksmiths Beach, with the iron heats running first and finals directly following. 

With many Central Coast athletes making finals in a stacked field of competitors, special mention goes to Tor Manser of Avoca Beach for a cracking sprint up the beach to nab second place in the U15s men’s board race, and Kaelan Montgomery of Terrigal for taking out first place in the U17s men’s ski race, which also earned him a golden ticket to the opens men’s ski final.

Terrigal also did well in the team events, bringing home a third in the U17s mixed ski relay, and taking out gold in the U17s women’s board relay.  

For the first time, Race One held their World Youth Championships the following day, with thousands of dollars worth of craft being handed out to the podium finishers for both the board and iron events.

Superstar Billy McCarthy of Avoca Beach won one such board when he claimed gold in the U14s boys ironman final – he also took home silver in the surf swim.

Also of Avoca Beach, Sadie Martin came second in her U13s girl’s ironwoman final, and Sonny Carmichael also ended up with a board for his third place in the U11s boys board final.

Finally, Lexie Eve Bush of Umina Beach won gold and a board for her first place in the U12s girls ironwoman, and Lylah Glynn, also of Umina Beach, took home a board and bronze medal for her third place in the U12s girls ironwoman.

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