With a team of 12 swimmers and 72 swims, Busselton Swimming Club came home from the WA Open and Age Short Course Championships in Perth as winners of the Country Shield for the second year running.
As well as overall country winner, the swimmers excelled themselves in both the individual and relay events with eight medals and 78 per cent personal best times between them.
Jaz Hopkins - who just returned from the Junior World Championships - shook off fatigue and jet lag to win gold in the 16 years 100 metre and 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m freestyle and silver in the open 100m and 200m backstroke.
Zoe Butler came away with silver in the 16 years 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m backstroke. In keeping with the backstroke swimmers, Lucinda Jones also earned a gold in the 13 years 100m.
Rylee Williamson, the youngest member of the team at 12 years of age - swam in her first senior states – achieving some great personal best times in preparation for the upcoming Junior State Championships.
Maddison Johnston Walker and Isabella Eibrink Jansen swam 100 per cent personal best times between them.
The standout result for Maddison a six second personal best times in the 200m fly and Isabella broke a minute in the 100m free. Ella Butler also impressed with her six second personal best in the 200m individual meody.
It was a clean sweep of personal best times for Lauren McGregor and a six second time in the 200m individual melody, while in breastroke Abby Johnson posted personal best times in the 100m and 200m.
Six second personal bests were a plenty after Niamh Jury achieved the same results in the 400m free while Eden McDonald posted an impressive three second in the 50m back and Ashlee Eibrink Jansen made her debut to State’s in three events further improving her times.
Coach Brooke Kemp said she was extremely proud of all the girls, many of them with a heavy schedule of heats and finals plus relays.
“To win the Country Shield two years running, after losing some of our older swimmers to the city, university and work, shows the depth of the club,” she said.
“The younger swimmers qualifying for states and the calibre of children coming up through the ranks is impressive.
“I am excited about the upcoming Junior State Championships for the younger children while the seniors had a week off before they enter a rebuilding phase for State Long Course Championships in December.
“The event is one of the highlights on the summer calendar and the lead into nationals next April which will be held in Sydney.”