Ben Hughes in action for Stawell Stingrays. Hughes, who is coach of the Stawell Swim Club, performed extremely well at a recent meet in St Arnaud. Picture: MARK McMILLAN
STAWELL - Ben Hughes and Jordan Austin were outstanding performers for the Stawell Stingrays Swimming Club in their meet at St Arnaud last weekend.
The Stingrays team has been progressing well over the past month and continued to reap the rewards of a strong training program.
Ben Hughes is the Stingrays coach and starred at St Arnaud, winning six of seven events and placing third in the other.
Hughes took out the open boy's 50 metre freestyle and open 50 breaststroke as well as the boy's 16-29 breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke finals.
He also won the boy's 200 metre breaststroke final.
Jordan Austin performed exceptionally, winning five of her six events and Hughes said she has shown that strong training leads to the right results.
Austin finished first in the girl's 100 metre freestyle and 50 metre butterfly finals, as well as the girl's 14-15 100 metre freestyle, 100 metre breaststroke and 200 metre individual medley event.
Jaxon Healy had a big program of nine events and he managed to place in seven of them.
Healy won three despite being stung by a bee on the face the day before and was barely able to open his right eye.
He took out the boy's 10-11 50 metre freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke finals.
Jamie Perry placed second in all three of his individual events.
"(Perry) swam really well in the two open relays," Hughes said.
"He really showed he can keep up with older swimmers in the open medley relay giving us a boost with the opening leg (backstroke) which we ended up winning."
The youngest Stingrays members, nine year olds Madix Perry and Harley Healy have both benefited from their effort during training, especially in breaststoke with significant improvement in their technique.
Perry won two events, the boy's 8-9 50 metre freestyle and backstroke finals.
Laura and Erin McClure swim their usual multitude of events amassing nine placing's between them.
Both McClure girls won an event each, with Laura taking the out the girl's 400 metre freestyle final and Erin achieved success in the girl's 50 metre backstroke final.
Kyle Dignan, 10, won the under 11 boy's 200 metre IM final while older brother Bayley claimed the boy's 12-13 butterfly final.
Natalie Perry continued her good form, recording a win in the girl's 12-13 100 metre backstroke event.
Stawell recorded one relay win in the mixed 'A' 200 metre freestyle event.
The under 13 relay team of Kyle and Bayley Dignan, Madix Perry and Jack Simmons stuck it out together to take second and third in the freestyle and medley relays respectively with Hughes saying the races were 'very well fought'.
Stawell Stingrays took a break last weekend, with three members attending the 2013 Country Inter-district swimming titles.
