While most people were hitting the pool recreationally over the summer break, for the St Paul’s swim team it was all business as they competed at various competitions across New Zealand and Australia.
In early January, a team of six St Paul’s swimmers ventured to Taupo to compete in the New Zealand Open Water Championships, where competition distances range from 1km to the 10km endurance swim.
Thomas Griffin (Year 13) finished first in both the 15-17 year old boys 7.5km swim and the 16 and under 4x1km relay race.
Flying the flag for the girls was Kaitlyn Sosa (Year 13) who swam in the 4x1km open relay and claimed a gold medal.
Fellow swimmer Ben Littlejohn (Year 12) earned two silvers medals in the 15-17 year old boys 2.5km swim and 4x1km mixed relay.
Ben was also in top form at December’s Queensland State Age Group Championships in Brisbane, finishing first in the 16-year-old boys 100m butterfly and setting a new Waikato record in the process.
Ben also finished fourth in the 400m freestyle and swam personal best times in six other events.
Full results
Queensland State Age Group Championships
- Ben Littlejohn (Year 12): Gold in the 16-year-old boys 100m butterfly; and fourth in the 400m freestyle.
- Thomas Griffin (Year 13): 10th in the 16-year-old boys 200m butterfly.
Victorian Age Group Championships
- Boston Tordoff (Year 9): sixth in the 200m butterfly, seventh in 100m butterfly, and seventh in 200 breaststroke.
New Zealand Open Water Champs
- Thomas Griffin (Year 13): Gold in the boys’ 15-17-year-old 7.5km swim; gold in the boys 16 and under 4x1km relay; and 4th in the boys 15-17-year-old 5km swim.
- Kaitlyn Sosa (Year 13): Gold in the 4x1km open relay; bronze in the girls’ 15-17-year-old 10km swim; and fifth in the open women’s 10km swim.
- Ben Littlejohn (Year 12): Bronze in the boys’ 15-17-year-old 2.5km swim; 16th in the boys’ 15-17-year-old 5km swim; and silver in the 4x1km mixed relay.
- Sam Peoples (Year 10): 10 th in boys 13-14-year-old 5km swim; 14th in the boys 13-14-year-old 2.5km swim.
- Ben Haskell (Year 10): 11th in the boys 12-14-year-old 1km swim.
- Boston Tordoff (Year 9): Fourth in the boys 12-14-year-old 1km swim and ninth in the boys 12-14-year-old 2.5km swim.
