Wow, what an amazing start to the 2023 Country Champs! This morning, all our swimmers gave it their best in the heats. A big congratulations to Elle, Max, Blake, Bryce, Cooper, and Marley for qualifying for the finals on the first day of competition. And a special shoutout to Grace for her incredible effort, finishing 13th place and 5th for her age in a heavily packed Girls 11-12 50m Backstroke.
For newcomer Elle, it was an impressive debut. She qualified 3rd in the Girls 14 yrs 50m Backstroke after an inspiring heat swim. After receiving some wise words from her coach and showing incredible determination, she came away with a second-place finish, shaving off an impressive 2.67 seconds from her entry time. Way to go, Elle!
Max also made his mark in his first Country Champs race. With an incredible performance in the heats, he qualified 4th for the evening’s final. Despite tough competition, Max swam a PB and finished 6th in the final. We’re so proud of you, Max!
Blake started his program with a bang, qualifying for three events for the day: Boys 15yrs 200m IM, Boys 15yrs 50m Back, and Boys 100m Breaststroke. He put on an impressive show by setting personal bests in all events and had an incredible night. Blake secured a 2nd place finish in the 100m Breast and smashed his PB by an astonishing 9.17 seconds to claim 3rd place in the 200m IM. Keep up the amazing work, Blake!
Our little pocket rocket, Bryce, had an outstanding start to the championships as well. He qualified in the 11-12 Boys 200m IM and finished 6th, demolishing his personal best by 9.77 seconds. Bryce also impressed in the Boys 11-12 100m Breaststroke, taking 5th place with a 4.47-second improvement on his PB. Way to go, Bryce!
Cooper is truly a class act to watch. He showed composure and delivered exceptional performances, taking 1st place in Boys 17 yrs 200m IM, 2nd place in the Boys 17 yrs 200m Fly, and 3rd place in Boys 17&O years 800m Free. Such an incredible accomplishment, Cooper ! It’s clear that Cooper is a force to be reckoned with in the pool. We hope he packed some extra luggage for all the medals he’s going to bring home!
And let’s not forget about Marley, who proved that hard work pays off. With an awe-inspiring personal best and dropping 18.86 seconds in the Boys 14 200m Fly, Marley earned his first Country Championship medal, finishing in 3rd place. He didn’t stop there, as he followed it up with a fantastic 2nd place finish in the Boys 13&O 800m Free. Way to go, Marley!
We are so proud of all our swimmers for their incredible efforts on the first day of the championships. It’s just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see what the next three days have in store for us. Keep up the fantastic work, and let’s continue to support each other as we dive into the rest of the competition! 
Ballarat Gold Swimming Club Medal Tally after Day 1
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