QGSSSA swimming championships: Top performers, records fall, who won the Mollie Gould Cup?
It was a dramatic night of schoolgirl swimming as future Dolphins were spotted among top performers, while SPLC made QGSSSA history. SEE MORE:
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The year 2023 marks a record 10th successive year St Peters Lutheran College has won the prestigious Mollie Gould Cup for overall winners at the annual QGSSSA Swimming Championships.
Coached by Olympic and Aussie Dolphins mentor Dean Boxall, and co-captained by Junior Dolphin Amelia Weber and big hearted Claveria Johnson-Tiumalu, St Peters previously shared the winning streak with Brisbane State High School (nine wins in a row, 1976-84).
MOLLIE GOULD CUP FINAL PLACINGS:
St Peters Lutheran College (631)
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School (503)
Moreton Bay College (498)
Brisbane State High School
Somerville House
Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School
St Hilda’s School
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
Clayfield College
Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School
Just competing was a victory for Saints’ captain and junior Dolphin Weber who broke a finger last week, placing her in grave doubt.
The night was also a moment to cherish for St Hilda’s School’s Holly Warn who set new QGSSSA records in all four 50m multiclass events.
There was also a rewarding moment for Clayfield College which claimed the Sheena Dyason Cup (percentage).
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HERE’S 60 SWIMMERS TO WATCH AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP
The first event of the evening, the 17 years and over medley relay, was won by St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ school thanks to the team effort of Sienna Timms, Stella Stewart, Sophie Martin and Inde Basche.
A second behind was St Peter’s Lutheran College followed by St Hilda’s.
St Peter’s then claimed a win in both the 16 years and 14 years medley races, while St Margaret’s towered over to the win the 15 years age group.
In all three events, it was Brisbane State High School who snatched the third medal.
The 13 years medley started strong for State High who were in the lead during the first three legs, before a determined St Margaret’s team of Lily Keenan, Gloria Finselbach, Charlotte Morgans and Clementine Cooke stole gold just two seconds behind the standing record set in 2014.
Individual races started with a bang as the 200m open freestyle was won by St Peter’s Amelia Weber with three seconds to spare.
The 100m open breaststroke was claimed by Somerville House’s Eloise McLellan, with a time of 1:13:50, followed closely by St Margaret’s medley racer Stella Stuart with an almost-exact time of 1:13:73.
It was St Peters Jaclyn Barclay, an Australian Junior Dolphin, who won the 100m open backstroke convincingly, and Poppy Stephen (Clayfield College) who claimed her school’s first gold by winning the open 100m butterfly.
The 200m individual medley featured St Margaret’s favourite Sophie Martin, who won five seconds clear of second place Hana Costello of Clayfield College.
At the first score update of the day, St Peter’s (88) managed to be in the lead by two points over St Margaret’s (86).
The first multi-class event of the day featured athletes from St Aidan’s (Phoebe Finlay) and St Hilda’s (Emma Clayton and Holly Warn) in the open 50m freestyle.
Warn won that event, and all multiclass events, setting new QGSSSA records in all four as well as mentioned earlier
The 12-year-old 50m freestyle winners were Miranda Bowen (SOM HSE) in div D, Genevieve Down (SOM HSE) in div C, Brooke Tregidgo (BSHS) in div B.
It was a St Peter’s triumph in the A division, with Georgia Pettigrew almost cracking the record.
Charlotte Morgans, Gloria Finselbach and Clementine Cooke bagged their second medals for the day in the 13 years division C, B and A 50m freestyle races.
In a tight 14 years age group, it was Ruby Gowns (STM) who won the A division 50m freestyle, in front of Tribeca Liu (STH) and Eloise McLellan (SOM HSE).
The 15 years 50m freestyle races featured familiar faces from the earlier medley events, as Alice Toppenberg (BSHS), Tahlia Smith (STP), Isabella Morris (STP) and Kaci Curtis (STP) enjoyed gold glory.
It was Morris’ second year of B division success, after breaking the 14 years record in 2022 for the same event.
St Peter’s continued to thrive, with a cleansweep from Siena Nicholson (D), Indi Cameron (C), Hannah Morton (B) and Ainsley Trotter (A) in the 16 years 50m freestyle.
There is no doubt the St Peter’s swimmers are following the strides of their Olympic Games alumnus Mollie O’Callaghan.
Closely behind the division A winner, were Cate Ward (BGGS) for second and Charlotte Boothey (STA) for third.
Nothing changed when St Peter’s boasted another set of four exceptional athletes to take out all 17 years and over divisions.
Sienna Owen (D), Alana Ramsey (C), Amelia Weber (B) and Jaclyn Barclay (A) were the ones front and centre in maroon and yellow.
Sophie Martin (STM) and Lara Poon (CC) were both in contention for the div A gold, but couldn’t snatch the victory from Barclay.
At almost the halfway point of the carnival, St Peter’s led by 40 points ahead of St Margaret’s and State High.
In the pool for the 50m breaststroke, it was Ruri Lee (BSHS) who won the 12 years and under race.
Isabella Lau of St Peter’s triumphed in the 13 years, Coco McGrath (STP) for the 14 years and Meghan Guthrie-Quinn of Clayfield in the 15 years.
It was then Stella Stuart, with two medals already under her cap, who took out the 16 years race followed by Elaine Chu (BSHS) in the 17 years and over.
There were a mix of colours taking gold in the 50m butterfly races, with Olivia Hine of Somerville House, Cate Ward of Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School and Poppy Stephen of Clayfield College all tasting glory.
In the 12 years and under 50m backstroke, Teagan Hanlon broke Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School’s dry spell to win their first gold.
2022 15 years record holder Ainslee Trotter owned the pool in her 16 years backstroke to add another medal to her name.
The 100m freestyle races started off with a cracking swim from 12-year-old Ella Rockett (BGGS).
In the 14 years division, Tribeca Liu (who holds the 12 years record from 2021) was beaten by St Margaret’s Ruby Gowns.
The 15 years race was close for Isabella Morris (STP), Cosette Cooke (STM) and Ava McLean (BSHS) who earned gold, silver and bronze respectively.
Hannah Morton (STP) was the first to turn in the 16 years division, and went on to win by two seconds over Abigail Anderson (STM).
The 17 years and over age group boasted a competitive line-up of previous winners including Sophie Martin and Amelia Weber.
Weber led at the 50m mark and continued her surge to gold, with underdog Hannah Allen (BSHS) taking silver.
The program saw a switch to backstroke for the multi-class open 50m event where Holly Warn (STH) nearly halved her 2022 record, with a new time of 41.93 to claim victory.
With just 14 events left for the day, St Peter’s had accumulated a lead of almost 70 points of St Margaret’s, who were more concerned about the fast approaching Brisbane State High School.
Moreton Bay College were also in contention, but a miracle needed to happen in the relays in order to pass both BSHS and STM.
The relay frenzy began with BGGS taking out the 12 years and under div B 4x50m freestyle.
It was Ella Davies, Abigail Carter, Eloise Knight and Annabel Kelley who put on a show for their school to win.
Somerville House then claimed gold in the div A 12 years, thanks to Annika Peters, Jackie Horrigan, Genevieve Down and Miranda Bowen.
MBC won the 4x50m freestyle 13 years div B and A, breaking the latter record which had stood since 2015 by three tenths of a second.
Olivia Galea, Chelsea George, Illy Douglas and Isabella Lau were the dream team.
In the 14 years, it was STP who claimed gold in div B and STH in div A.
The St Hild’s team may not have cracked a record, but the efforts of Olivia Gray, Elsa Li, Isla Hawkins and Tribeca Liu to beat the St Peter’s favourites deserve an extra round of applause.
It was then BSHS in the 4x50m freestyle relay 15 years div B and STP in div A who glided to gold.
STP added another to their tally with Vasi Semenets, Natalie Van Selm, Sophie Lambourne and Josephine Illing swimming to gold in the 16 years div B relay.
In the div A race, it was the familiar faces of Ainsley Trotter, Indianna Cameron, Siena Nicholson and Hannah Morton who brought it home for STP.
The 17 years and over div A race was a cracker, as star STP swimmers Jaclyn Barclay, Telani Woodham, Alana Ramsey and Amelia Weber did what they do best, win.
FINAL AGE GROUP WINNERS:
12 years and under: Somerville House (89) and runners-up Brisbane State High School and St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School (87)
13 years: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School (99) and runner-up St Peter’s Lutheran College (96)
14 years: St Peter’s Lutheran College (98) and runner-up Moreton Bay College (84)
15 years: St Peter’s Lutheran College (102) and runner-up Somerville House (81)
16 years: St Peter’s Lutheran College (112) and runner-up Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School (87)
17 year and over: St Peter’s Lutheran College (148) and runner-up Moreton Bay College (118)
Multi-class: St Hilda’s School (40) and runner-up St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School (36)
SHEENA DYASON CUP (PERCENTAGE) FINAL PLACINGS:
Clayfield College (94%)
Moreton Bay College (61%)
Somerville House (54%)
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School
St Hilda’s School
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School
Brisbane State High School
Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School
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