Toowoomba swimmers in top form at state titles

Toowoomba Grammar School Swimming Club athletes enjoy success at state championships

Toowoomba Grammar School Swimming Club medal winners (from back left) Naia Anderson and Matt Smith, (front, from left) Josephine Illing, George Tighe, William Salmond, Charlie Schoorl and Jude Youens. Picture: Bev Lacey

SWIMMING: Toowoomba Grammar School Swimming Club members have returned from yet another major championship with a haul of medals.

In a dominant performance, swimmers set five state records and claimed 35 medals at the Queensland Schools Swimming Championships.

William Salmond turned in a stellar performance, winning five medals and setting four state records.

"I've been working pretty hard on the little things like my turns and my breathing," Salmond said.

"I think my 50m backstroke was probably the biggest surprise - I wasn't really expecting to win that, but I got there in the last 5m after being behind.

Salmond broke the 50 and 100m butterfly records in the heats before going on to break his own records in the finals.

"I just followed my race and mental plans," he said.

A strong mental game was also a key part to Jude Youen's performance at the titles.

Youen, who won five gold and a silver medal, believed his mental game was strong thanks in part to his mother.

"My mum is a sports hypno-therapist - I think that gives me an edge," he said.

"That type of thing is being used a lot more by athletes but there's still a lot who don't use it.

"I've been working really hard in training a lot as well."

Winning gold in the 100m freestyle, Youen took nearly two seconds off his personal best time but hopes to do better.

"I think it (100m free) was my best performance," Youen said. "Beating my PB in the heats and then the final was special. It's 54.87 now and ultimately I'd love to go sub 54."

WORKING HARD: Charlie Schoorl dives in during a Toowoomba Grammar School Swimming Club training session. Athletes from the club bought home 35 medals from the Queensland Schools Swimming Championships. Picture: Bev Lacey

RESULTS

William Salmond (15): Gold 100m butterfly (broke the QLD record in heat and again in final 57.57 - 57.38), gold 50m backstroke 28.07, gold 50m butterfly (broke the QLD record in heat and again in final 25.92 - 27.78), silver 200m buterfly 2.13.58, bronze 100m freestyle 55.11.

Jude Youens (14): Gold 50m freestyle 25.48, gold 100m freestyle 54.87, gold 200m freestyle 2.03.63, gold 400m freestyle 4.23.22, gold 100m butterfly 1.01.22, silver 50m butterfly 27.72.

Harry Wright (13): Gold 200m breaststroke 2.42.06, silver 200m IM 2.29.98, silver 50m breaststroke 34.10, bronze 100m breaststroke 1.14.18.

Isaac Cooper (15): gold 100m backstroke 1.00.37, silver 50m butterfly 26.07, bronze 50m backstroke 28.42.

Henry Reardon (15): Gold 50m freestyle - 27.54 (new QLD record), gold 50m backstroke 33.39, gold 100m freestyle 1.00.35, silver 100m backstroke 1.14.24, bronze 50m butterfly 33.50, bronze 50m breaststroke 41.09.

Juert Eerkens (13): Bronze 50m backstroke 32.11.

Charlie Schoorl (16): Bronze 50m backstroke 28.88, bronze 200m IM 2.13.91.

George Tighe (16): 4th 50m butterfly 26.44, 4th 200m butterfly 2.13.80.

Mitchell Crook (15): 4th 200m IM 2.22.03

Josephine Illing (12): Gold 200 freestyle, silver 200m IM and 200m backstroke

Naia Anderson (16): Silver 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly, bronze 400m and 200m IM.

Isabelle Mason (17): Gold 400m freestyle and 200m backstroke, silver 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 100m backstroke, bronze 100m backstroke.

Originally published as Toowoomba swimmers in top form at state titles