9 Medals at Metro South West Championships 23rd February, 2009

Merrylands' team of 15 swimmers won 9 championship medals and were finalists in 12 events at the inaugural Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships on the weekend. The club's results made this year's meet the club's most successful District/Area Championships in more than 15 years. Twelve new personal best times were also swum at the meet.

Brittany Johnson won the club's first medal of the meet, finishing in third place in the 17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle in 30.25. Swimming in Lane 8, Brittany just managed to touch out the following competitors with less than half a second covering 3rd to 6th place.

The next medal was won by Anthony Ventra when he won the gold in the 15yrs 100m Freestyle in a new personal best time of 1:01.31. In the process he became the club's first Area Champion in an event since Jordan Burden in 2002. Anthony went on to win a second championship medal, this time finishing 3rd in the 15yrs 100m Breaststroke. In the Non-Championship events, Anthony also won a gold medal in the 15yrs 50m Freestyle.

Not to be out done, Mitchell Burt became the club's next Area Champion, this time in the 15yrs 200m Individual Medley. Mitchell had already taken home the bronze medal behind Anthony in the 100m Freestyle in a new personal best time but in the IM he smashed his PB by over 6 seconds to win the gold in 2:35.88. On Sunday he returned to win the bronze medal in the 15yrs 100m Backstroke in another personal best of 1:14.57.

David Wang also won a medal in the 15yrs 200m Individual Medley, finishing in 3rd place which equaled his result from last year's Cumberland Championships where he also took home the bronze in the 200m Individual Medley.

Peter Johnston was the club's 5th medallist at the meet. In another tight finish, Peter won the bronze medal in the 17yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke, less than 1/10th second ahead of 4th place.

The club's final medal came in the second last event of the meet, when our 15yrs & Over 4x50m Freestyle Relay team of Steven Nguyen, Peter Johnston, Mitchell Burt and Anthony Ventra finished just 0.37 ahead of the 4th placed team to take home another bronze and our 9th medal of the meet.

Seven out of twelve of our individual competitors were a finalist in at least one of their events. Steven Nguyen finished in 8th place in the 17yrs & Over 50m Butterfly while Amber Johnson's best result came in the 16yrs 100m Freestyle where she finished in 6th and Jonathan Tuivawa finished 6th in the 17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke.

Finalist & Medallist Summary:

Mitchell Burt
15yrs 100m Freestyle (Bronze)
15yrs 100m Backstroke (Bronze)
15yrs 100m Breaststroke (7th)
15yrs 200m Individual Medley (Gold)
Anthony Ventra
15yrs 100m Freestyle (Gold)
15yrs 100m Breaststroke (Bronze)
David Wang
15yrs 100m Freestyle (4th)
15yrs 100m Breaststroke (6th)
15yrs 200m Individual Medley (Bronze)
Amber Johnson
16yrs 100m Freestyle (6th)
16yrs 100m Backstroke (7th)
Jonathan Tuivawa
17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke (6th)
Steven Nguyen
17yrs & Over 50m Butterfly (8th)
Brittany Johnson
17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle (Bronze)
Open 400m Individual Medley (7th)
Peter Johnston
17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke (8th)
17yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke (Bronze)

The swimmers who swam PBs were:

Timothy Tunks
100m Freestyle
Belinda Sloane
100m Freestyle
Mitchell Burt
100m Freestyle
100m Backstroke
200m Individual Medley
Anthony Ventra
100m Freestyle
200m Breaststroke
Jonathan Tuivawa
50m Backstroke
Brittany Johnson
50m Freestyle
400m Individual Medley
Jessica O'Donnell
50m Freestyle
50m Butterfly

Congratulations to all 15 swimmers on their performances and thank you to Darren Sloane, Felix Lo and Reece Tulloch who came along especially to swim in our 10x50m relay. Overall our club finished in 13th position on 476 points. Our male team finished in 13th place on 367, with our female team finishing in 21st on 109.

The full results now available here.

Medal Tally
Gold 2
Silver 0
Bronze 7

See Also
  • 2009 Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships - Team

  • 2009 Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships - Results
  • 2002 Cumberland Championship Results - Report



    • 2009 Metro South West Championship Medallists
    Super Six David Wang, Anthony Ventra, Peter Johnston, Brittany Johnson, Steven Nguyen and Mitchell Burt with their medals from the 2009 Metro South West Open & Age Championships at Blacktown Aquatic Centre on Sunday, 22nd February, 2009. David finished 3rd in the 200m Individual Medley, Anthony was the 100m Freestyle Champion and finished 3rd in the 100m Breaststroke. Peter finished 3rd in the 50m Breaststroke, Brittany was 3rd in the 50m Freestyle. Steven, Peter, Mitchell and Anthony were 3rd in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay. Mitchell was the 200m Individual Medley Champion and finished 3rd in the 100m Freestyle & 100m Backstroke.
    Super Six
    David Wang, Anthony Ventra, Peter Johnston, Brittany Johnson, Steven Nguyen and Mitchell Burt with their medals from the 2009 Metro South West Open & Age Championships at Blacktown Aquatic Centre on Sunday, 22nd February, 2009. David finished 3rd in the 200m Individual Medley, Anthony was the 100m Freestyle Champion and finished 3rd in the 100m Breaststroke. Peter finished 3rd in the 50m Breaststroke, Brittany was 3rd in the 50m Freestyle. Steven, Peter, Mitchell and Anthony were 3rd in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay. Mitchell was the 200m Individual Medley Champion and finished 3rd in the 100m Freestyle & 100m Backstroke.

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