Six Melton Swimming Club members will be in action for Victoria at the 2018 School Sports Australia Championships in Tasmania next month.
Melton Swimming club’s Marc Walters said it was a big achievement to have the six swimmers involved.
Manar Mahfouz, who goes to Melton Secondary College, will compete in the 50 metres freestyle and the 50 and 100 metres butterfly in the 15-16 girls age group.
Mahfouz said her focus at the championships would be to take her training successfully to a competitive level.
“I want to have a positive mindset and be mentally and physically ready,” she said.
“I want to focus on my stroke technique and my underwater, and also to have fun and enjoy the experience.
“What I would like to take from swimming in the 2018 Australian Swimming Championships is … knowing that I have done my best to perform in front of all the kids and that I represented my school in the best way possible and that I swam my hardest.”
Mahfouz recently represented Melton Swimming Club in the National Age Swimming Championships.
Kayla Jones will swim in three events at the Tasmanian championships.
The Southern Cross Grammar student will compete in the 15-16 years girls 50 and 200 metres butterfly and 400 metres individual medley.
“I feel privileged to be a part of Victoria’s team and my goal is to swim to the best of my ability and do some personal best times,” Jones said.
“While I’m in Tasmania, I would like to make lasting memories to take back home and just enjoy the experience.”
Layla Mahfouz will represent Victoria for the first time.
The current Victorian long-course record holder in 11-year-old girls 200 metres butterfly will compete in the 100 metres butterfly and 200 metres individual medley.
The Melton Secondary College student said she was very excited about being in the Victorian squad.
“My goal for the 2018 Australian Schools Swimming Championships are to try my best and have fun,” she said. “I just want to try and get a PB [personal best] and maybe place.
“I would like to come home with some medals, hopefully, and also some experience.”
Maribyrnong Secondary College’s Jasmine Besanko-Farrugia will compete in the 17-19 girls 50 metres breaststroke, 50 and 100 metres butterfly, and 100 and 200 metres backstroke.
Besanko-Farrugia is the current vice captain of Melton Swimming Club.
Declan Rafferty, who goes to school at Darley Primary School, will compete in the 10-year-old boys 50 and 100 metres breaststroke and the 100 metres backstroke.
Gilson College’s Alisha Walters will swim in the 11-year-old girls 50 and 100 metres freestyle, 50 and 100 metres breaststroke, 50 and 100 metres butterfly and 200 metres individual medley.
Walters won gold in butterfly and the medley event at the Pacific Schools Games and won gold in the 100 metres butterfly and 200 metres individual medley at the Victorian state championships.
All the Melton Swimming Club’s six swimmers will compete in relays at the 2018 School Sports Australia Championships.
