MILDURA has laid the platform for a strong future when it comes to competitive swimming, according to Swimming Victoria chief executive Jason Hellwig.
Hosts Mildura Swimming Club and other organisations involved received rave reviews for the weekend’s 2025 Victorian Country Long Course Swimming Championships.
Over three days, 658 competitors from 34 regional clubs from around the state flooded Mildura Waves to compete, and some of the future stars of the sport put on a show.
Mildura Rural City Council threw their weight behind the event by heavily contributing for the three days, alongside putting $100,000 into purchasing a new timing system with touchpads which allow for bigger competitions.
Mildura Swimming Club was the first individual club to host the championships in 2022, and following the success of that event not long out of COVID, it was selected to play the hosting role again in 2025 and 2027.
“Everything regarding the organisation of the event was really positive, and to have support not only from Mildura Swimming Club, Mildura Waves and the Mildura Council, but the whole town, was just fantastic,” Mr Hellwig said.
“The platform for swimming in this part of Victoria is really strong, and now it’s just about looking for the opportunities of how we take it forward, solidify it and make it sustainable.
“We’re also looking at options to potentially have a full-time coach positioned in Mildura.
“It’s a great facility and a strong community for sport, and we’ll work together into the future to help further establish swimming’s position.
“Mildura hosted a brilliant event this year and we’re absolutely looking forward to coming back in 2027.”
Geelong Swimming Club kept their hands on the Alan Monaghan Shield, awarded to the team with the highest aggregate points across the three days of competition.
Geelong have won the past four titles, after Traralgon had kept a 17-year stranglehold on the award.
Swimmer of the Meet, awarded for the single swim which scores the highest World Aquatics point score over the event, was won by Cameron Jordan of Bendigo East (men’s open 100m breaststroke) and Kayla Pratt of Traralgon (girls’ 16-17 100m freestyle).
It was Jordan’s fourth time winning the honour in the past five years.
Para-swimmers of the meet, who achieved the highest aggregate points score in multi-class events for the championships, were awarded to Warrnambool’s Eli Kerr and Ballarat Gold’s Sarah Howe, who won for a second consecutive year.
Rising star Archie Smyth of South Gippsland Bass won the Rob Godfrey Memorial Trophy for the 13-and-under swimmer with the highest aggregate points, breaking two event records in the process.
Geelong’s Nicole Briscoe took out the Bruce Carter Trophy, awarded to the 14-and-over swimmer with the highest aggregate points tally.
