Lee and Gear medal

SWIMMING stocks at the Gympie Memorial pool jumped this week after David Lee and Scott Gear medalled at the State Sprints at Chandler Aquatic Centre.

Picture: Craig Warhurst

SWIMMING stocks at the Gympie Memorial pool have jumped this week after swimmers David Lee and Scott Gear medalled at the State Sprints at Chandler Aquatic Centre in Brisbane.

Lee, swimming in the multi disability events, won a gold in the 50 metre backstroke in a personal best time of 32.78 seconds and silver in the 50 metre freestyle with a time of 27.43 seconds.

Gear backed up his bronze medal in last year's event to again win bronze in the 50 metre backstroke with a personal best time of 30.23 seconds.

But the most positive thing for Gympie Gold Fins coach Elisabeth Manthey was the success of all her swimmers.

“Of our eight swimmers five made the top ten in the state,” she said.

Joining Lee and Gear in the top ten were Drew Timbs, Katie Connolly and Ben May.

“And nearly everyone else swam personal best times,” Manthey said.

“It was a really good meet for the Gympie kids.”

The Gold Fins are now priming themselves for the Wide Bay Championships and a chance to qualify for the Australian titles.

Manthey said Gear had to drop a second off his time to qualify for the national meet.

“He is more than capable of doing it - he just needs to work a little harder,” she said.

The 180cm, 13 year old said he was hoping to drop his time at the Wide Bay meet to qualify for the nationals, but said he was happy with his performance at Chandler against a competitive field.

“I got a good start and I made sure my arm rate was fast from the start to the finish,” he said.

“I didn't die off at the end.

“I was happy with my performance.”

Originally published as Lee and Gear medal