Sydney’s Catholic secondary students have delivered standout performances at recent conference swimming carnivals, with multiple records broken ahead of the Sydney Catholic Schools Swimming Championships at Homebush.
Across the four conferences, competition was strong, with several schools and individual swimmers emerging as dominant performers. The carnivals also provided an opportunity for younger swimmers to test themselves against experienced competitors, with several under-age athletes recording personal best times.
In Conference 1, Marcellin College Randwick continued its dominance in the boys division, highlighted by a record-breaking swim in the 6x50m all-age relay to open the carnival.
Brigidine College Randwick claimed the girls title, setting 13 individual records. Isobell Gibbons and Charlee Armitage led the way in the under-14 division, each breaking five records, with Armitage named age champion.
Marist Sisters Woolwich and Rosebank College led Conference 2. Gabriel Park secured four records to help Rosebank to victory in the boys division and claim the under-14 age title.
Strong depth across multiple events proved decisive for both schools.
In Conference 3, Bethany College Hurstville retained the girls trophy, continuing its consistent success at the carnival. Anthony Zhang of Marist College Penshurst broke four records in the 12–13 boys division, while Samuel Skrabak of Marist College Kogarah set his 15th conference record in the 50m 17 years and over, further cementing his reputation as one of the competition’s leading swimmers.
Conference 4 featured a close contest between Taj Kingston of Clancy College Hoxton Park and Cayden Gooi of La Salle Bankstown. Gooi claimed the age championship, breaking records in both the 50m and 100m breaststroke, while Kingston also delivered a strong performance with three record-breaking swims.
Relay events across all conferences were a highlight of the carnivals, with strong team performances and close finishes drawing support from school communities. Coaches noted the importance of teamwork and preparation, particularly in the lead-up to the championships.
Attention now turns to the combined primary and secondary championships, where further strong performances are expected. Several swimmers will be aiming to qualify for higher-level competition, including NSW representative pathways.
“We have some outstanding swimmers across the four conferences and I cannot wait to see them compete against each other at the Sydney Carnival,” Conference 1 secondary sports coordinator Luke Macnamara said.
