Sports

Grafton swimmers compete in AIF Championships

The 86th AIF Annual Swimming Championships were held at Coffs Harbour on March 19 and in amongst the 400 competitors was a team of seventeen from Grafton.

We are still waiting for official results and times to be forwarded but we are pretty sure that one of our ladies came pretty close to winning the 50 metres 20-24 years age championship.

The weekend competition must have been too much for many of our members with only fifty per cent arriving for our weekly Tuesday swim.

One lady, whose name we won’t mention, forgot her swimmers but was kind enough to stay back and help with time keeping.

The three lads making the final of the 50m freestyle were Richard Sear, John Wainwright and Bruce Phelps.

All three were far too keen to score a win. Richard, John and Bruce touched in that order but with breaks of .27 and under, were all disqualified.

Damien O’Mahony, John Wainwright and Jenny Vickery were the finalists in the 30m freestyle.

Damien took the win with a 17.22 recorded. Jenny was placed second although recording a slightly slower time and John came home in third place with nothing left in the engine after his mighty effort in the 50m.

The grand final of the Jake Kroehnert (Elders) Explosive Cup for the summer season was held but the winner and place getters will not be announced until our presentation night is held on May 28.

The 30m B B and B was the last race for the night and the Wykes Tyrepower Cup was up for grabs.

The finalists were Damien O’Mahony, Andrew Madden and Steve Donnelly.

All three swimmers recorded great times but the closest to his time was Andrew, so the inconvenience of having to get back in the cool water was well worth the effort.

Damien was placed second and Steve third.

Toni Ensbey