National Championships 2019
Report by Katrina Burgess, Club Captain
The 2019 MSA National Championships were held in Adelaide from 19-23 March at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre, Oaklands Park. Over 400 swimmers from all over the country competed, as well as a few visiting Masters swimmers from NZ, USA, UK, and Canada.
Tuggeranong Vikings were represented by a team of ten swimmers (and supporters!), consisting of Katrina Burgess, Leisa Cass, Donna Campbell, Brian Curtis, Lisa Haureliuk, Paul Maggs, Caz Makin, Ann Reid, Anne Smyth and Ron Watkins.
Social Dinner
In addition to enjoying the social aspects, all swimmers swam well with numerous PB swims and multiple podium finishes. Overall, the club ended the meet in 13th position from a field of 86 clubs. Not too shabby!
4x50 Freestyle Womens Team
As well as the women's medley and freestyle relay team, notable individual results included triple gold to Caz Makin in the 200, 400, and 800m Freestyle as well as another gold in the 50m Backstroke and Ron Watkins' gold in 50m Butterfly.
Open Water: Caz and Anne
For those that just couldn't get enough, the meet also included, unusually, a 1.5 or 3.0km open-water swim at Brighton Beach on day five following the four days of competition in the pool. Both Caz and Anne took the plunge in the choppy 1.5km event - cheered on by some Vikings who stayed dry and comfortable on the jetty - with Caz taking home a gold, and Anne a silver medal.
2019 Vikings Nationals Team
It was a particularly strong meet for the Canberra women, with Caz taking the crown as National Champion in her age group, Lisa gaining equal second overall in her age group, and both Ann Reid and Donna Campbell swimming the maximum allowable twelve individual events over the four days of competition.
Full event results are on the Masters Swimming Australia website.
Next year's event will be run in Short Course format at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC). For the first time ever at our Nationals, multi-class participants will be able to swim in their own multi-class categories within the program. Just enough time to get training!