Swim star Gawned earns more State honours

Albany Swim Club has returned with strong results from the WA State Short Course Swimming Championships in Perth at the weekend, star competitor Tom Gawned earning another State selection.

Gawned was joined by Luke Wallinger, Jake Shephard and Kai Sepkus as they attended the meeting under the guidance of newly appointed ASC head coach George Harnetty.

The Albany foursome produced some terrific individual results, highlighted by Gawned’s effort to break a stack of country records and secure a spot on the State team for the second straight year.

He won three medals — a silver in the 200m individual medley and bronze in both the 200m backstroke and 100m butterfly.

Records tumbled for Gawned as well as he set new marks in the 15-and-under country residential 50m butterfly, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

His 100m freestyle time also set a new country all-time mark in 15-and-under while his 2min. 10.19sec. for the 200m IM produced a new record in the 16-and-under and 17-and-under country residential categories.

Gawned was selected in the boys 14-15 age division for the State Team Championships held at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from October 4 to 6.

Wallinger swam big personal best times in the 200m backstroke and 200m freestyle while Shephard’s effort to break the one minute bracket in the 100m freestyle was also superb.

Sepkus swam in the 100m and 200m backstroke events, producing solid times.

Harnetty said overall it was a great showing from the four Albany swimmers.

“Tom had some ups and downs but for him to overcome some of them downs is awesome,” he said.

“His 200 IM was the best race, a seven second PB is significant at his age.

“All our boys did really well, Kai overcame a few dramas to swim really well.

“Luke did a phenomenal 200m freestyle and Jake swam under a minute for the first time in 100m freestyle and a 58.7 actually smashed it.”