NZSS Team receiving their award (from left to right)- Mrs Franklin (team manager), JD Mananes, JM Macalalad, Christina McCutcheon-Barrett, Abby Boyd, Bree Franklin, Nadia Brown, Kate Renner, Paige Franklin, Sue Stanaway (Bayley's representative)
New Zealand Secondary Schools Swimming Championships
Students Excelling
At the end of last week, a team of eight students (Paige Franklin, Abby Boyd, JD Mananes, JM Macalalad, Bree Franklin, Christina McCutcheon-Barrett, Nadia Brown and Kate Renner) attended the NZSS Swimming Championships. For several of the team it was their first experience swimming at a national event with over 600 competitors as well as swimming at the Sir Owen Glenn National Aquatic Centre in Auckland. They all had an amazing experience and everyone gained several personal best times in the events in which they swum.
The College team won the Bayley's Altogether Better Award, for outstanding unity, teamwork and dedication. This was due to their efforts to keep training despite the local pool being closed following Cyclone Gabrielle and at the end of 2023 for 12 weeks for important renovations. These closures meant their training sessions where transferred to Hastings resulting in travelling 100km on their training days, which highlighted their dedication to stay in the water despite these interruptions. This award also acknowledges the work of the local CHB Swim Club, which all our swimmers are members, and their coach Alonso Fernandez Rodriguez.
Notable results were:
Paige Franklin won three Bronze medals for the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke events for 16-year-old girls. She also broke the Hawke's Bay Poverty Bay regional short course record in the 200m breaststroke, a record which has stood for 24 years as well as achieved three other top ten placings for 50m Butterfly, 100m Butterfly and 200m Freestyle in her age group.
The mixed U16 4x50m Medley relay team of Christina McCutcheon-Barrett, JM Macalalad, JD Mananes and Bree Franklin placed 4th.
The mixed U16 4x50m Freestyle relay team of JM Macalalad, Christina McCutcheon-Barrett, Abby Boyd and JD Mananes placed 7th.
The swimmers were grateful to have received a funding grant by the Grassroots trust which enable the team to travel and stay together while competing at this event as well as the support from Mrs and Mr Franklin.
Article added: Monday 29 July 2024
