The Marlins: Going from Strength to Strength

12-7-05 - The MLC Marlins swim team performed strongly at the 2005 New South Wales Open Short Course championships, last weekend, leaping 17 places in the final point score tally from 28th position last year to 11th this year.

Thirteen Marlins made up the team, including 12 year old Melanie Tan, (one of the youngest competitors taking part in the meet) who put in an outstanding performance to finish 10th in the 50m Backstroke and ahead of 32 other girls, some who were twice her age!

There were many other highlights including:

• Sylwia Pasieczny’s (18) convincing win in the 800m Freestyle. Her skills and ability were evident by the way she even paced the race and recorded a big PB. Sylwia also took away a silver medal (400 Fs) and a bronze in the 200 Fs
• Will Messervy’s (15) Bronze in the 400 IM – missing out on the silver medal by 0.27-of-a-second!
• Jordan Kelly’s (15) negative split 400 Fs – beating his best time by 2 seconds - & even split 200 Fs.
• Ian Sarno’s (14) sensational final 25 in the 100 Br and his bronze medal in the 200 Br.
• Tim Antalfy’s (18) silver medal in the 50 Fly
• 100% PBs: Jordan Kelly, Will Messervy, Graham Purcell, Melanie Tan
• 58% of all swims were personal bests.

Senior coach, John Thompson, paid tribute to the team: “I was very pleased with the way our swimmers performed over the weekend; although, the results don’t surprise me.”

“They’ve been training well, they’ve been focused and consequently they’re achieving what they deserve” he said.

The team will now focus on the National Open Short Course titles in Melbourne, next month, and the New South Wales Age Short Course titles at Homebush in September.

• Sylwia Pasieczny (18), 800 Fs

• Tim Antalfy (18), 50 Fly
• Sylwia Pasieczny (18), 400 Fs

• Will Messervy (15), 400 IM
• Sylwia Pasieczny (18), 200 Fs
• Ian Sarno (14), 200 Br
  

• Kailah Elliott, Jordan Kelly, Kate Laxton, Will Messervy, Sylwia Pasieczny, Graham Purcell, Ian Sarno, Melanie Tan

Further information: John Thompson (0400 655158)