Swimmers keen to cash in at Beef City meet

Hundreds to hit the water at 2nd World War Memorial Aquatic Centre.

Caribeae’s Jack Kelly will be among the lead contenders in action at the weekend’s Beef City Preparation Meet at the 2nd World War Memorial Aquatic Centre.

A TOTAL of 263 swimmers will chase cash and qualifying times at Caribeae Swimming Club’s Beef City Preparation Meet this weekend.

They will compete in 10 age divisions, from eight years through to 17 and over at the 2nd World War Memorial Aquatic Centre in Rockhampton.

The meet will start at 5.30pm on Friday, with 400m, 800 and 1500m events.

It will continue from 8am on Saturday with a full program, which includes the popular Speed Machine, where the top 10 male and female swimmers in each age group are seeded and race for cash.

Swimmers will also have the chance to clock qualifying times for the Queensland Championships in Brisbane in December.

Meet director Michael Borg said the stage was set for some red-hot racing.

“Entries are good; we’re normally around 230, 240 for this meet,” he said.

“I think numbers are up because there’s been limited competition due to the COVID restrictions, and this is one of the few remaining opportunities for swimmers to get those times for states.

“We’ve got a real spread of competitors this time. They’re coming from Barcaldine, Moura, Moranbah, Mackay, Mirani, Springsure, Emerald, Gladstone and the local clubs – Emu Park, Yeppoon and Rockhampton.”

Borg said Caribeae’s Jack Kelly and Rocky City’s Taryn Roberts would be two individuals to watch, while the Emerald club always sent a competitive contingent to regional meets.

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