Swimming Report
Thursday 13 February 2025
GPS 1 – Shore sets a new GPS record!
On Thursday 13 February, the Shore swimming team headed out to the first carnival of the AAGPS season, held at the home of swimming, Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC).
The team was chosen following the School carnival, and the first GPS carnival of the year is always a good time to have a hit out with no events counting towards the point scores except for one event, the Opens 4 x 100m Medley Relay.
Shore’s team of William Bestic (Backstroke), Ethan Cook (Breaststroke), Ethan Ng (Butterfly) and Noah McLaren (Freestyle) forms the best combination that our School has seen, and with one eye on the GPS record of 4:02.81, the confidence was high.
The swim team members were great as they gathered poolside to cheer the relay on, and from the opening backstroke leg of William Bestic’s, Shore hit the front, challenged initially by Newington College and Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview, but then every leg after that we extended our lead as other schools were unable to match. With Noah’s thumping anchoring freestyle leg, he stopped the clock in a time of 4:00.12 – a new GPS record of over two seconds, with 2nd place over 6 seconds behind. I hope this illustrates the incredible swimming performance by William, Ethan, Ethan and Noah – well done, boys!
The GPS record was lowered last year to a 4:02 by Newington, which at the time was an incredible performance, and in that race, our boys went 4:09. However, in the 12 months since, we have dropped that time from a 4:09 down to a 4:00 to set the record a second time. This is certainly a great achievement and one all boys and those involved should be proud to have been a part of.
Shore boys secure 43 top three places!
The rest of the evening was a great display of sportsmanship and camaraderie by the team. Shore boys took wins in a total of 15 races, with 2nd and 3rd spots secured in 28 races for a combined total of no less than 43 top three swims on the night, the most out of any school.
As we look ahead, we have a week off before GPS 2 on Friday 28 February. Moving through the season means that each carnival increases the amount of events that are point-scoring. At GPS 2, we have the 200m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley and the open 4 x 100m Freestyle relay – some challenging events, but I know Shore boys will deliver in spades!
Go Shore!
Mr Tom O’Keeffe
Head of Swimming