Tamworth swimmers excelled at the weekend's NSW Country Championships with a number of medal-winning performances and state qualifying times, and countless personal bests from the Tamworth City, 360 Scully Park and Kootingal-Moonbi contingents.
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Tamworth City led the way with four Sharks making it onto the podium and an overall medal haul of three gold, one silver, three bronze.
Tilani Smith collected a complete set, taking out the 12 years girls 100m breaststroke, touching second in the 200m and finishing third in the 200m individual medley.
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Amelia Simm warmed up for next month's state open championships with gold in the 14 years girls 100m and 200m breaststroke. In what was a very close race in the 200m, with the first three touching in the same time, Ella Fittler took bronze behind her.
Alex Hayes also picked up bronze in the 15 years girls 100m breaststroke.
All up from 22 swimmers, the club had 18 finalists (top 10) as well as two of their 10 relay teams and from 72 individual swims, 55 personal bests. As coach Nicholas Monet pointed out they were big pb's too.
But for the Sharks mentor the pleasing part wasn't just what they did in the water.
"In and outside of the pool their attitude is fantastic," he said, highlighting the way they encourage each other.
In his view, that will be what pays off as far as the long term development of the club. The demands of training you need that support, he said.
There were also plenty of highlights for Scully Park with Allison Toohey swimming another state time in her 13 years girls 100m breaststroke in finishing 10th, and the girls 13-14 years medley relay team clocking an eight second pb and a state time.
Bella Pollard meanwhile just missed out on a national time in the 14 years girls 200m butterfly by .03 seconds. In what was a great effort, all five girls swum a pb over the meet.
It was a similar story for Kootingal-Moonbi with the six-strong contingent recording some great times and pb's. "They did really well," co-coach Greg Poetschka said. "Some of them it was their first trip for that level."
Jamie Grobler produced one of the best individual efforts beating the state time in her 10-11 years 50m breaststroke by two seconds. The 12-and-under girls freestyle relay team also swum under the state time.
