Taking over the pool

Two carnivals in a single day lets students show spirit and have a dip on a hot day.

JUNIOR MEDLEY: Students pushed themselves hard in friendly competition at the Roma State College swimming carnival. Picture: Jorja McDonnell

FUTURE swimming stars jumped into the Denise Spencer Memorial Pool on Friday, as the middle campus students of Roma State College participated in their intra-school swimming carnival.

The kids had been practising their strokes at weekly swimming lessons in preparation for the event, and had evidently rehearsed their cheers too, showing their team spirit through chants led by senior leaders.

With the temperature rising as high as 37 degrees in Roma on the day, they started early to beat the heat.

The younger students were first to hit the pool deck, with ages 9 to 12 diving into their events with gusto, competing in all strokes in 25 and 50m distances.

Finishing with an epic individual medley just before morning tea time, the young students who nominated pulled off one mean feat, finishing four laps of the pool in four individual strokes.

With the older students aged 13 through 18 taking over the pool for the afternoon session, the day doubled as an extra special celebration for the college's Year 12 students.

As well as being the date of the carnival, Friday happened to be their last ever day of school.

Going all out for their final laps in the pool, the students dressed up in fun aquatic costumes, bringing floaties of all shapes and sizes - in house colours of course.

Overall the friendly competition between peers was successful, with the students of each age group showing excellent sportsmanship and swimming to the best of their ability, whether they placed first or last.

In the Middle carnival, the winning house was Maranoa, who also received a throphy for highest participation.

Arcadia dominated in the senior carnival, taking out the overall and participation trophies.