Congratulations to every young competitor who took part in the inaugural State Based National Age Challenge!
Nearly 1,900 swimmers from 347 clubs took part in the Challenge across seven state and territory competitions in March and April.
The Challenge, which was launched in January and designed for girls and boys (11-14 years old), is a fresh concept that encourages swimmers and their coaches to dive into the competitive arena for the first time at the conclusion of the long course season.
Also used as a steppingstone in a swimmer’s journey, the Challenge gives younger athletes who are not yet eligible to compete at Age Championships the opportunity to compete at state competitions and acquire a national virtual ranking in events – allowing them to see where they’re positioned against competitors from around the country.
At the conclusion of the first successful Challenge, 1,049 swimmers had a performance which saw them achieve a ranking in either the top 5%, 15%, 25% or 50% of their peers when all results from across the country were combined.
The top three athletes in each of the 10 eligible events were also recognised with a medal at each of the state competitions.
Swimming Australia’s Chief Sport Performance, Matthew Kennedy, congratulated all of this year’s participants.
“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate every young swimmer who competed in the State Based National Age Challenge – there were some fantastic results at each event,” Kennedy said.
“As we know, a swimmer’s stage of development can vary considerably through their early years and this is reflected in the combined results, with these times and rankings providing young athletes with a snapshot of their swimming journey.
“We hope all participants enjoyed their experience and it gives them the motivation and determination to keep swimming and achieve their goals.
“I’d also like to thank our state associations for running the events, this Challenge wouldn’t have been possible without their support.”
All competition results can be found via state association websites, while individual times can be viewed on Swim Central.
For more information about the State Based Nation Age Challenge click here, while for any enquiries, please email clubs@swimming.org.au.
