Talented Horsham junior swimmers Claudia and Jack Lanyon and Jorja Clode will target a 2020-21 Victorian Country Short Course Championship in Ballarat in August after performing strongly in long-course titles in Warrnambool.

The youngsters represented Horsham Sharks against the best country-based swimmers at a three-day 2019-20 Country Long Course Championship in Warrnambool last month, 12-year-old Jack clinching a gold medal.

Jack won the medal in the 12-years 100-metre butterfly, winning the final in a new personal best time of 1:18:43. He shaved 5.06 seconds off his previous best during the swim. He also just missed out on a medal in 100m backstroke, by 0.37seconds, on the last day of the event.

Claudia 15, competing in a 15-16 years girls group, competed strongly in a field ranging from 55 to 63 swimmers, and improved her ranking from 49th to 45th for the 100m breaststroke.  

Jorja, 12, qualified for two finals after swimming heats in 100m freestyle and backstroke events, collecting personal-best times and then finishing eighth in both finals. 

Three other Wimmera district swimmers competed, Billie Donnan and Emily Perazic from Ararat, and at the age of 39, Kelly Ough from Warracknabeal made her debut in the 50m breaststroke.

Horsham swimmer Deacon Briggs also shone, coming third in a boys 14-15 100m breaststroke final, as well as taking home medals from relays.

Other Wimmera swimmers Luca Geue, Eloise Wills and Ruby Hill were successful in the Ballarat Gold Club relay teams and Horsham’s Matthew Ough, who now swims for Ballarat Swimming Club, also took part.

Warracknabeal star Lily Eldridge, who swims for Bendigo East Swimming Club, also medalled in the 16-17-years 100m breaststroke and open 100m breaststroke, as well as taking home a bag of medals in the teams relays. 

The championships in Warrnambool featured about 700 swimmers and Horsham finished 27th from the 35 clubs that attended. To enter the championship, swimmers must achieve qualifying times to represent their club.

PHOTOS: Wimmera swimmers show worth in the pool

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