The Benalla Swimming Club 12-13 year old girls relay team enjoyed a brilliant meet at the Victorian Long Course Championships recently.
The Benalla Swimming Club has plenty to celebrate following a strong showing at the Victorian Long Course (State) Championships at MSAC recently, where swimmers represented their club with pride and, most importantly, enjoyed the experience of competing at the highest state level.
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The importance of teamwork was a clear theme throughout the championships, echoing the words of Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers, who recently told Benalla swimmers that his proudest achievements in the sport were not individual medals, but being part of world and Olympic relay teams.
That message rang true for Benalla’s talented 12-13 year old girls relay team, which delivered sensational performances and significant time improvements across the meet, held in Melbourne from December 11-15.
In the 4x50 metre freestyle relay, the team placed 29th overall, recording a remarkable improvement of 1.29 seconds. They followed this up with another outstanding swim in the 12/13 years 200 metre medley relay, finishing 24th with a massive 1.86 second time improvement.
These results are particularly impressive given the level of competition, with Benalla racing against well-resourced inner-city clubs and large private school programs. The performances also position the girls strongly ahead of the upcoming Victorian Country Championships in January, where they will compete against other regional clubs on what is often considered a more level playing field.
Sophie McKenzie qualified for and competed in three separate breaststroke events at the state championships recently.
The club is also incredibly proud of Sophie McKenzie, who worked tirelessly to qualify for three individual breaststroke events at the state championships. While Sophie did not swim personal best times, her results were outstanding, placing 32nd in the 50 metre breaststroke and 28th in the demanding 200 metre breaststroke, an extraordinary achievement for a 12-year-old in such a challenging event.
Adding to an already exciting period for the club, Benalla Swimming Club was honoured to host Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers and his partner, Ingeborg “Ingi” Løyning, for a special clinic on Sunday, December 14.
Benalla Swimming Club members with Australian Olympic gold medallist Kyle Chalmers and his partner, Norwegian Olympic swimmer Ingeborg “Ingi” Løyning.
Kyle and Ingi were generous with their time and understanding of what it means to grow up in a country town and be part of a small swimming club. They were impressed with the Benalla Aquatic Centre, praising it as a fantastic facility, and were unfazed by a local wood duck taking an early morning dip in the outdoor pool, remarking that they are used to sharing the water with ducks back home.
Ingeborg “Ingi” Løyning takes the Benalla Swimming Club through a warmup.
Ingi, a Norwegian Olympic backstroke champion, led a session focused on the importance of warming up both the body and the mind. She spoke thoughtfully about balance, positivity and directing energy in a way that supports faster and more confident swimming.
Kyle then took the swimmers through a freestyle clinic, where a squad of 20 athletes were completely focused and committed as he shared tips on refining technique and developing habits that underpin world-class performance.
Olympic Gold Medallist Kyle Chalmers leads a special session for the Benalla Swimming Club members.
The morning concluded with a question-and-answer session, where Kyle spoke openly about his journey, including how he chose between pursuing AFL football like his father or continuing with swimming. His key message to the swimmers was clear and inspiring: maintain a positive mindset and remember that there is always something to learn from every swim.
With strong results at the State Championships and inspiration from some of the world’s best, the future looks bright for the Benalla Swimming Club.
