Swimming
5 December, 2025
Close finishes highlight Warracknabeal swim meet
The Warracknabeal Memorial Swimming Pool was a hive of activity on Saturday, November 29, when the Warracknabeal Swimming Club hosted the second round of the Wimmera Sprint Meet.
District co-ordinator Jenny Ough said almost 100 swimmers took to the water, with locals competing against district regulars and visiting clubs.
“The sprint meet had 91 swimmers registering to compete, from our district clubs of Ararat, Horsham, St Arnaud and Warracknabeal, and clubs outside our district of Kerang, Maryborough and Nyah Two Bays in Swan Hill,” she said.
“It was a great day Saturday, with many close finishes; the closest being 0.02 of a second separating first and second place in the 30 years and over male backstroke.”
Highlights throughout the day included the closely contested open women's 100m freestyle, won by Charlotte Matuschka, and when seven-year-olds Patrick Gregson and Audrey Moore swam in the 50m freestyle.
The Warracknabeal meet followed a successful run in Horsham on November 22, where almost 110 swimmers from the region faced off against clubs from Ballarat, Hamilton and Warrnambool.
With solid registrations throughout this season, Ough said she was looking forward to seeing the young competitor developing over the summer.
“This season our local clubs have all had a good number of new swimmers and families taking up competitive swimming as a family sport,” she said.
“Our district has many families in which the parents as well as the children are competing.
"This season so far, our competing swimmers have ranged in age from six years to 50 years.”
The Wimmera district swimmers return to Horsham on Saturday, December 6, for another meet before wrapping up the month in Warracknabeal on December 13.
In 2026, the action resumes on January 31 at St Arnaud, followed by meets in Ararat (February 7), St Arnaud (February 14), Ararat (February 21) and Horsham (March 14).