Sport

Local swimmers excel at State Juniors

By Yarrawonga Chronicle

Mar 25, 2026

Swimmers from the Yarrawonga Mulwala Swimming Club travelled to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre over the weekend to compete in the 2026 Victorian Country All Juniors Competition, delivering the club’s most successful campaign to date.

Yarrawonga Swimming Club state finalists on Sunday with Head Coach Lyndon Hart and Coach Jocelyn Cameron.

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A team of 19 swimmers qualified for the semi-finals following the heats held in Wangaratta in February, setting the stage at the State Sport Centre for two days of high-quality racing against junior swimmers from across regional Victoria.

The team produced an outstanding collective performance, recording 69 personal best times from 72 swims across the competition, a remarkable strike rate that highlights both preparation and determination, and caps off a highly successful summer season.

Emma Thomas, 8 years old, takes home 4 Gold medals following an outstanding weekend of racing.

On Saturday the semi-final heats delivered a number of standout performances, with several swimmers achieving significant personal best improvements.

William Manoj-Margison (11) impressed with strong swims in the 50m Butterfly (pb 8.52 seconds) and 50m Backstroke (pb 4.74 seconds), while Jade McInerney (12) recorded a 5.01-second personal best in the 50m Breaststroke.

Elyse Minogue (7) produced an excellent result to finish 12th in the 50m Breaststroke, taking 12.39 seconds off her previous best time.

Lucas Robinson (14) also enjoyed a successful day, achieving personal bests in both the 50m Butterfly (6.31 seconds) and 50m Breaststroke (4.60 seconds).

Thomas Minogue, 8 years old, third in the Boys 8&U 50m Breaststroke.

Nine swimmers secured Top 10 finishes, securing them a place in day two’s finals with a total of 17 finals.

In addition, six events saw club swimmers named as emergencies, narrowly missing further finals berths in a testament to the team’s strength.

Leading the charge was first-time competitor Emma Thomas, who delivered a flawless performance to claim four gold medals in the Girls 8&U category. Emma achieved personal bests in all events, winning the 50m Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle in a dominant display.

Fellow first-time competitor Thomas Minogue also impressed, earning a bronze medal in the Boys 8&U 50m Breaststroke, along with strong top 10 finishes in both the 50m Backstroke (7th) and 50m Freestyle (9th).

Several other swimmers produced excellent results in finals competition. Lexi Smith (7) placed 7th in the 50m Backstroke, jumping an impressive 11 places in the entry seeding to make the final.

Junior Swimmers: L-R Back Olivia, Billie, William, Front Elyse, Eddie, Elizabeth, Lexie, Livai and Emma ready for racing.

Livai Bainikoro (9) finished 10th in the 50m Butterfly while Billie Archibald (11) competed in three finals, finishing 8th in the 50m Backstroke, 9th in the 50m Butterfly and 10th in the 50m Freestyle.

Flynn Cox (13) and Finn Angwin (14) both secured 9th place in their respective 50m Breaststroke events, while Jackson Maxted (15) narrowly missed the podium with a strong 4th place in the 50m Butterfly and also placed 10th in the 50m Freestyle.

Lara Angwin (16) rounded out the finalists with a 9th place finish in the 50m Backstroke.

Elyse Minogue, Flynn Cox, Jackson Maxted, Ella Hollister and Lara Angwin were also recognised as emergency swimmers across multiple events, each narrowly missing additional finals opportunities.

The results represent a significant milestone for the Yarrawonga Mulwala Swimming Club, highlighting emerging talent, overall team strength, and the continued success of the club’s coaching program.