One of our Grenfell Amateur Swimming Club Great White Shark members, Tom Robinson, has devoured the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC).
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After competing at NSW Regionals, Orange and Mountains & Plains Summer Championships, Grenfell, Tom qualified for the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly events at NSW Country Championships held at SOPAC last weekend.
Tom has outdone himself with an amazing job with his swimming.
In the 50m freestyle Tom smashed his qualifying time of 26.99 to swim a 25.81 taking 1.18 seconds off his personal best (PB).
This resulted in Tom placing 11th in the 15/16 years male event but unofficially placed third of the 15 year olds competing.
This time takes Tom within a whisker of the 15 years male national qualifying time for the 50m freestyle of 25.5 seconds - a time that he has now set his sights on.
This is a huge achievement for any swimmer, but taking into account that Tom is a “six month a year” swimmer, makes these times even more impressive.
Other events over the weekend included the 15/16 years male 100m butterfly event, another impressive PB of 1.05.47 taking a further 1.83 seconds off his qualifying time and the open male 50m butterfly event in 28.43 taking over 1/2 second off his qualifying time.
What outstanding results from all Tom’s hard work with his training and a massive accomplishment for a country boy.
The NSW Country Championships are held annually and only open to regional swimmers and all swimmers must meet qualifying times set by Swimming Australia.
This is the second year Tom has qualified for NSW Country Championships.
Tom says it is a really great experience, not only for swimming in a venue like SOPAC, but against swimmers, including familiar faces from our Mountains & Plains area.
It would be great to see more Grenfell swimmers qualify in the future and encourage them to strive to their full potential.
Tom would like to express his thanks to the Grenfell Amateur Swimming Club for their support, in particular coaches Leann Logan and Bianca Hughes who have been unwavering in their support for Tom and his swimming and to Pat Charnock and Di Browne from Cowra Stingrays for their coaching and mentoring over the weekend.
Good luck Tom, from Grenfell, with all your future swimming endeavours – we are all behind you.
