Stuartholme School stormed to victory while Olivia Watson fired from start to finish

There was CaSSSA Cup swimming championship magic today where a young star unleashed, a record was broken and a western suburbs school stormed to glory. Full report here.

Stuartholme's winning 4x50m freestyle team - not in order, Alianah McCabe, Eve Carr, Emerson Hughes and Cordelia Kemp.

Stuartholme School stormed to back-to-back CaSSSA Cup triumphs while St John Fisher College’s Olivia Watson finished the unofficial swimmer of the meet after a bumper championship today at Chandler.

50 IMAGE PICTURE GALLERY FROM THE CaSSSA CUP

Stuartholme’s swimming captain Zara Hampton gleefully accepted the adulation on behalf of her team after claiming the medium school CaSSSA swimming championship.

The top three schools from the championship.

There was an extra cheer for the record breaking Stuartholme School 4x50m relay team of Ruby Powe, Isla Anderson, Addison Przybylak and Maddison Condon who crushed a record set in 2016.

Stuartholme won five or the six age groups, with St John Fisher’s 16 years side stopping their winning streak.

Final points

1. Stuartholme School 1016

2. San Sisto College 881

3. St John Fisher College 836

4. Mary Mackillip College 635

5. St Mary’s College, Ipswich 617

6. Our Lady of Mt Carmel 324

Percentage Trophy: Stuartholme School

Winners and grinners in the 4x50m freestyle relay - some of the Stuartholme School team.

Watson won everything and anything for St John Fisher. If there had been a chook raffle on offer, Watson would have won that as well.

A natural backstroker, Watson is a regular podium finisher at the state titles, but today she turned her hand to most events - and won.

CaSSSA’S swimmer of the meet was Olivia Watson. Picture: John Gass

The championship started in grand style when Watson won the coveted open 100m freestyle from Franchesco Chitukuduza (San Sisto) and third placed Georgina Twigg (Stuartholme).

Watson also had a rousing win in the 16 years 50m freestyle, producing a blistering time of 27.93 seconds.

Franchesco Chitukuduza, right, with Eloise Dudley.

In the 50m freestyle Div 1, Stuartholme did well across many of the sprints.

The 13 years 50m dash was claimed by Stuartholme’s Isobel Rogers from St John Fisher’s Annelise Dudley, while St John Fisher’s Dana Gardner snared maximum points for her school in the 14 years 50m - beating Lyla Hollywood (San Sisto, second) and Stuartholme’s Takahasi Jamieson (third).

The 15 years freestyle was then snared by India Cleeve (Stuartholme) from Patrice Courage (San Sisto) and Olivia Rule (St Mary’s) who was gallant in placing.

50m backstroke winner Ava Crase, left, with Mary MacKillop's Isla O'Brien.

Then came Watson’s 50m win in the 16 years, with Jaime O’Connor (Stuartholme) and San Sisto’s Isabella Davel filling the minor placings.

In one of the races of the day, the 19 years and under 50m freestyle, Chitukuduza (San Sisto) won from Twigg (Stuartholme) and Eloise Dudley (St John Fisher).

Our Lady's College's Emily Jones after her sprint.

There was a nice moment when Emily Jones competed in the 12 years and over 50m freestyle multi class on a day when participation ruled.

Watson was a winner again - this time in the 100m Div 1 backstroke - with the St John Fisher ace swimmer outlasting Talia Bellete (Stuartholme) and Ava Crase (San Sisto).

And Rogers (Stuartholme) was another repeat winner, this time beating Dudley (St John Fisher) and Billie Briggs (San Sisto).

The inform Isobel Rogers with Billie Briggs and Dudley Annelise.

There was a fabulous swim off in the 14 years 50m backstroke event won by Dana Gardner (St John Fisher) from Amelia Edmonds (Stuartholme) and Hollywood (San Sisto).

Crase then hoisted San Sisto’s school banner again, this time winning the 15 years 50m backstroke from India Cleeve and Isla O’Brien (Mary MacKillop). It was thrill a minute stuff.

CaSSSA swimming championships Thursday February 29, 2024. Picture, John Gass

Watson continued to prove an unstoppable force, again winning her 16 years 50m backstroke.

Whatever Watson is having for breakfast, we’d all like to have some, such was her energy and consistency across the championships.

Mary MacKillop's Patience Flynn, right, with Stuartholme's Isla Anderson.

Stuartholme’s Arcadia Battley (second) and third placed Mary MacKillop’s Grace Rose did well swimming in Watson’s wake.

Watson may have been the big star of the meet, but there were plenty of other high class performers, including Chitukuduza (San Sisto) who won her 19 years and under backstroke.

Eloise Dudley (St Fisher) was another elite swimmer, finishing second to Chitukuduza in that event but then winning her next race - the 100m breaststroke.

Dudley (St John Fisher) continued to gather podium finishes with another ribbon winning effort. She beat Emily Dunn (San Sisto) and Isabella Jones (Mary MacKillop).

QGSSSA swimming championships Thursday February 29, 2024. Picture, John Gass

Then the 100m breaststroke action continued thick and fast, with the 12 years a blanket finish eventually claimed by Mark MacKillop’s Patience Flynn from Stuartholme’s Isal Anderson and San Sisto’s Evie Mendoza. The width of a piece of tissue paper separated them.

Dudley (St John Fisher) again felt the wall first, from Lauren Bethel (Stuartholme) and Briggs (San Sisto) in her race, while in the 14 years Dana Gardner (St John Fisher) beat second placed Ryan Molly (Stuartholme).

Olivia Watson, left, with Talia Bellette and Ava Crase.

The good times rolled, this time for Stuartholme’s India Cleeve, with Emily Dunn (Stuartholme) and Isabel Dudley (St John Fisher) bringing up the rest of the field.

The start of the butterfly events was celebrated by a marvellous 100m contest with San Sisto’s Chitukuduza challenged strongly by Stuartholme’s Ruby Watson, before Chitukuduza rallied to win.

CaSSSA swimming championships Thursday February 29, 2024. Picture, John Gass

Allegra Devetak (Stuartholme, 15 years), Watson again for St John Fisher (16 years), Chitukuduza (19 years and under) all pushed hard to win their respective butterfly Div 1 races.

In the 4x50m medley relays, Watson’s fired St John Fisher College off to a flying start, and from there Dudley, Ella Waite and Gardner got the job done.

Casssa swimming championships Thursday February 29, 2024. Picture, John Gass

But Stuartholme were back on track in the 12 years medley relay, with Anderson, Maddison Condon, Lucille Bryant and Elizabeth Platts enjoying the win, while Stuartholme also won the 13 years, 14 years and 15 years events.

To win the 13 years, Ava O’Brien had to come home like a steam train in the final lap, and she did, producing a withering freestyle swim.

They will be talking about her performance around the bubblers at school tomorrow.

THe San Sisto school swimming captains led by example.

And the Mary MacKillip College community will also be full a chatter after a rousing 19 years and under win in the 4x50m medley relay when Makayla Crilly anchored a winning effort set up by Isabella Jones, Waverley O’Brien and Savannah Cannavan. It was great stuff by this awesome foursome.

CaSSSA swimming championships on Thursday, February 29. Picture: John Gass

The all important 4x50m freestyle relays were spearheaded by Stuartholme’s 12 years win in record time, with Ruby Powe, Isla Anderson, Addison Przybylak and Maddison Condon getting the job done.

The St John Fisher swimming captains.

Savannah Linneman anchored a mighty effort in the 16 years 4x50m freestyle, pushing away from the field after her St John Fisher teammates Stephanie Stewart, Ella Waite and Olivia Watson had laid the ground work.

And San Sisto supporters had plenty to cheer about in the 19 years and under when Lucy Mortimer, Lucy Dunn, Taya Lambert and Chitukuduza snared victory.

Olivia Watson of John Fisher College - swimming championships on Thursday, February 29. Picture: John Gass

Stuartholme then finished where they started by winning the final event - the open 6x50m freestyle relay. Connor, Jamieson, Rogers and Cleeve were members of the winning side.

The Our Lady's College swim leaders.