Dannevirke primary school swimming sports strongly contested

Junior boys breaststroke swimmers about to dive off in their heat in the primary school swimming sports at Wai Splash in Dannevirke.

A huge turnout of both swimmers and supporters filled Wai Splash Pool on Tuesday when Dannevirke primary schools held their annual swimming sports.

Intermediate girls diving off in the butterfly.

The competition organised by Dannevirke South School ran faultlessly from 9.30am wrapping up with the relays about 2.30pm.

Rebecca Pasey surfaces to qualify first in her breaststroke heat.

All the schools participated and most events had several heats in the morning with finals in the afternoon.

Dannevirke Primary School swimmers await their turn to compete.

There were some excellent performances, quite a few wearing Wai Splash caps signifying they are part of the local swim school which trains three nights after school under the direction of swim coach Kaiya Haitana-Butcher. Some also swim for Palmerston North clubs.

St Joseph's girls who performed so well in the relays.

A pretty even line of Intermediate boys in their breaststroke heat.

Kaiya said she has about 30 in training, up to an hour and a half each of the three nights. She said she was delighted and even shocked by their results, the champion St Joseph’s Senior relay team for example being all her proteges.

Results:

Junior Relay

1st St Joseph’s

2nd South

3rd Ruahine

Intermediate Relay

1st South

2nd St Joseph’s

3rd Ruahine

Senior Relay

1st St Joseph’s

2nd Ruahine

3rd Huia Range

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo-journalist based in Dannevirke. For the past 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.