January. Summer holidays, camping, the beach, time with families, idle mornings at home with little to worry about: this is the way for many children.
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For Victoria's top country swimmers, however, January is the lead up to one of the year's most important swim meets, the Victorian State Country Long Course Championships, scheduled to be held in Warnambool from the 24-26 January.
The swim meet brings together the best junior swimmers from country Victoria, and this year three members of the Horsham Sharks swim club have succeeded in recording the requisite qualifying times.
Both Jorja Clode and Jack Lanyon made the times for the 12 and under 100m freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke finals, while Jack's sister Claudia, has qualified for the 15 year old 100m freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke.
And so, for these dedicated young swimmers, summer is not just about holiday's but also about swimming hundreds of laps of the newly appointed Horsham swimming pool.
"I don't mind training during holidays," says Jorja Clode.
"There are so many people at the country champs, so it is a good opportunity to catch up during the holidays with other swimmers from around the state."
From a competitive perspective, Horsham Sharks president Jenny Briggs sums up the importance of the annual Long Course Countries succinctly: "This meet is particularly important because it is an opportunity for our swimmers to see where they sit against the best."
When speaking to the young swimmers themselves, another very personalised motivation is shared by them all.
I don't mind training during holidays. There are so many people at the country champs, so it is a good opportunity to catch up during the holidays with other swimmers from around the state.
- Jorja Clode
Jack and Claudia Lanyon state that their goal at the Country Champs are PBs.
Simply, in non swimming terms, on the biggest stage upon which they have ever performed, their goal is to swim faster than they have ever swum before.
Jorja Clode, who has won medals at 'Countries' before, goes one step further: her objective is one (or more) top ten finishes and possibly even a medal.
But from us, the non-swimming Wimmera public, to these kids who have trained and competed for their qualifying times during the holidays, congratulations and recognition for their achievements are already due. Well done.
And a final word from Jenny Briggs, Horsham Sharks Club President: "If you can at all fit into the article that we are looking for an additional coach or two to train these super swimmers ..."