Swimmers dive into success at home meet

Despite being a small contingent, they certainly weren’t there just to make up the numbers — instead they were flat out racking up impressive numbers.

The swim club came away with a whopping 10 gold, seven silver and two bronze medals from the event.

And if that wasn’t enough, 30 personal best times were set.

Vanessa Laidlaw is the coach behind the aquatic accomplishments.

Club president Jane Palmer is very much behind the scenes.

But her own kids are among the cohort benefiting from Laidlaw’s guidance.

“Vanessa’s dedication and professionalism in getting the kids prepared physically and mentally to swim is really important because it can be overwhelming,” Palmer said.

“There can be lots of pre-race nerves and emotions to manage on the day, so the coaches are not just preparing them physically through training, but also mentally.”

Palmer is kept on her feet constantly throughout the day.

She’s picking up most of the little tasks which need to be done to ensure it all runs smoothly.

The only pauses are when son Charlie or daughter Sadie compete.

All of the admin is essential because the importance of this meet extends beyond the pool — being the club’s major fundraiser every year.

Echuca was hosting 14 other swim clubs, mainly from across northern Victoria, with only M1 Swimming Club Melbourne-based.

Palmer’s club has costs to cover to make it possible, which Rich River Golf Club helped fund.

The swim club is also financially boosted through the swimmers’ entry fees.

But not too many are focused on the accounting when event one of 56 begins at 9am.

Palmer will have her mind on it soon; for now, she’s already satisfied with how everything went.

“It was a fantastic day,” she said.

“We couldn't have asked for better weather, had strong support from clubs across our region and great attendance from our local swimmers as well.”

There was a family vibe in the air as each local seemed to be cheered on by a cohort of supporters.

“It's really exciting to be able to host because our swimmers get that family support, including grandparents and friends,” Palmer said.

“There were a few swimmers who had their school friends, probably not swimmers, actually come in and watch what they can do.”

Some probably left impressed.

So what’s next for Echuca’s swimmers?

The eight to 11-year-olds who attended on Sunday may nominate for the Country Junior District competition, held in Melbourne on November 21.

And many swimmers, across all ages, will be cheered on again at Bendigo East Swimming Club on November 14 — the next meet the locals target.