Melton Swimming Club members will hit the national stage this week at the Australian Short Course Championships.
Seven swimmers from the club qualified for the championships after their performances at the recent short course age and open state titles.
Three swimmers Peter Berens, Chloe Burke and Benjamin Wills come into nationals on the back of winning medals at the state titles.
Berens won silver in the 400 metres freestyle and bronze in the 200 butterfly metres in the 17-18 boys events.
“Claiming two state medals during the Victorian Age State Championship made me extremely happy and excited to achieve this success against the state’s best swimmers in my age group,” Berens said.
“Going into the events I medalled in, I knew there was a good chance that I could medal since I believed that the times I was entered in did not reflect my current capabilities, and this was shown when I achieved new personal bests including the medals.
“In the 200 fly along with the medal, I was able to get a national qualifying time that I have been aiming for throughout the season.
“Getting it really made my meet as I wanted to race against Australia’s finest swimmers at Australia’s national short course championship.”
It will be Berens first open national short course meet, where he’s hoping to make the B-final.
Burke won four medals at the age short course championships.
She won silver in the 400 metre individual medley and 200 metre butterfly in the 16 years old age group, registering national times in both events.
She finished third in the 200 metres butterfly in a national time, while finishing third in the 800 metres freestyle.
Burke said it was really exciting to be in finals and having the opportunity to race for medals.
“To come away with four medals I was really happy and it was nice to see all my hard work pay off,” she said.
“I was hopeful that I could medal based on how I went last year so to be able to build on that made me really happy.
“I’m hoping to build on my results from state championships leading into nationals. I hope that I can improve from the states and do better times and make finals.”
Burke’s big aim this season is to qualify for Commonwealth Games trials in Sydney in June.
Wills finished second in the multi class 200 metre individual medley.
He will swim in five events at nationals.
Wills said with only four swimmers in the 200 metre IM, he knew he was a good chance of medalling.
“Heading into nationals, I’m aiming to get into a few finals and of course aiming for improving my time and hopefully setting some new Victorian records for my S19 class,“ he said.
“My goals for the rest of the season are to set some new records and try to get some more medals in states and aiming to make finals at nationals
Manar and Layla Mahfouz, Aleesha Brownbill and Mitchell Davies are the other swimmers heading to nationals.
