One thing to emerge from the State CHS Swimming Championships is that the region has some exciting young swimming talent.
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Competing against some of the best swimmers in the state, Quirindi High's Bella Pollard and Coonamble High's Kate Ibbott both finished on the podium in their 13-years girls events.
Ibbott won silver in the 100m freestyle while Pollard touched in third in the 100m butterfly.
North West convener/manager Rozina Broderick said it was a good overall performance from the team.
"It's the best we've done for a few years," she said.
"We didn't have any medallists last year."
Eight swimmers qualified for finals, five of them in multiple events, several just missing out on the medals.
Farrer High School's Brinez Lantz warmed up for this week's Australian Age Swimming Championships in Adelaide, with fourth finishes in the 15-16-years 400m individual medley and 16-years 100m breaststroke and 100m freestyle.
Inverell High School's Courtenay Wark-Austin was fourth in the 16-19-years 50m backstroke multi-class and 50m freestyle multi-class while Ibbott just missed the medals in the 50m and 200m freestyle.
Lantz was also sixth in his 50m freestyle and 10th in the 100m butterfly, while Ibbott placed eighth in her 13-years 100m butterfly.
Other swimmers to make finals were: William Fittler (Armidale High School) in the 16-years 100m breaststroke, where he finished eighth; Evelia Lantz (Oxley High School) -14-years 200 freestyle (ninth), 12-14-years 400IM (seventh) and 12-14-years 400 freestyle (10th); Grace Milgate (Oxley High School) - 14-years 200m freestyle (sixth), 12-14-years 400IM (sixth) and 12-14-years 400m freestyle (eighth); and Rosie Ross (Narrabri High School) - 13-years girls 100m backstroke (ninth).
The Oxley High School 14-years girls team comprising Evelia Lantz, Alyssa Davis, Grace Edgecock and Grace Milgate were meanwhile seventh in the 4x50m freestyle relay, two places ahead of the Narrabri High School team of Rosie Ross, Claudia Penberthy, Clare Jensen and Ella Tomlinson.
The Walcha Central School team of Abbey Mackaway, Isabella Hayton, Thomas Micallef, and Murdoc Chawner finished fifth in the Central Schools Relay with the Coolah Central School combination of Isabelle Stanford, Caitlin Cook, Kane Weatherley and William Ticehurst seventh.
Eyeline Encouragement Regional Awards were also awarded to Bethany Counsell (Armidale High School) and Rohan Cowley (MacIntrye High School).
