Katanning, Wagin swimmers make the grade

Seven Katanning and two Wagin junior swimmers have been chosen for the Great Southern squad, following solid efforts in the Great Southern Swimming Championships this month.

They will compete in the 2013 Swimming WA Club Premierships in B-division, to be held at Challenge Stadium in Perth on March 9.

Katanning Swimming Club’s Darci Gilmour, 8, Joshua Hope-Blyth, 9, Hayden Boetel, 11, Sophie Marshall, 11, Trystan Strachan, 11, Tyson Armstrong, 14, and Jayde Hope-Blyth, 15, were selected for the squad, along with Wagin Swimming Club’s Ben Morgan, 11, and Ray Cutforth, 21.

The selection follows a weekend of fierce competition at the Great Southern Swimming Championships held at Mt Barker Swimming Pool between 158 competitors from the region.

Katanning came fourth out of eight teams on 187 points, Wagin was ranked fifth on 160.5 points and Kojonup eighth on 15 points.

Albany Swim Club dominated the championships, claiming the overall points with 849, defending their handicap point’s title.

Katanning Swimming Club took 23 athletes to the meet and brought home 39 personal best records and 22 medals.

The children competed in freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and team relays, some for the first time in the individual medley.

Mt Barker, Narrogin, York and Corrigin also took teams to compete in 864 events.