Albany Swim Club’s Sam Forgus and Luke Molenda clinch medals and smash PBs at State Championships in Perth

Two of Albany Swim Club’s brightest young talents have brought home medals and a swag of personal bests from the 2023-24 Junior State Championships held in Perth at the weekend. Sam Forgus and Luke Molenda both made the journey to HBF Stadium in Perth for the three-day event, returning to Albany as a State champion and runner-up respectively. Forgus won gold in the nine-year-old 50m butterfly event while Molenda won silver in the nine-year-old 100m breaststroke race. Molenda was trailing in fourth at the 50m turn of his event before powering to the wall to clinch a maiden State championship medal. The pair swam six events between them and each secured 100 per cent PBs and are now ranked among the top nine-year-old male swimmers in WA and Australia. Forgus is a top-10 swimmer in the State for 50m and 100m freestyle, sixth for 200m freestyle and 15th in the nation at 50m butterfly. He also smashed his 200m freestyle PB by 6.48sec., while Molenda finished 4.38sec. faster than his previous 100m freestyle best. Albany Swim Club coach Nola Osborne said the duo’s results were extremely impressive in their fledgling careers. “This was Sam’s second attendance at a State championship and Luke’s first,” Osborne said. “Swimming WA set some tough qualifying times for the 2023-24 long course swim season so to meet these qualifying times was a massive achievement for them both. “Sam was superb in his 50m butterfly event securing a gold medal and Luke showed great resilience to come from fourth to finish strongly in second place and with a silver medal. “They both swam exceptionally well and these results are a testament to the determination and dedication Sam and Luke show at training and swim meets.” Brothers Malachy and Kalarney Williams, who hail from Albany, also competed at the meet representing Scarborough Beach Swim Club. Malachy secured bronze medals in the 100m and 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke events, while Kalarney swam a 5.66sec. PB in his 800m freestyle event.