For some, it was their first taste of a national competition.
“This just demonstrates that the coaching programme put together by Richard Gheel and Verena Nowak is working, and it’s a good sign for the future of Whanganui swimming that we’ve got a pool of young swimmers coming through,” Bunker said.
“Our youngest swimmer competing was nine years old.”
Head coach Gheel is aided with the junior ranks by Nowak, who looks after the youngest swimmers at the club.
“Verena gives them a great foundation to build on,” Bunker said.
Ten-year-old Ziva Bunker achieved nine PBs during the last leg of the series (All Stars), while three others — Arahi Doggett, Grace Glasgow, and Tessa Murphy — got eight.
Podium places were snapped up by Ziva Bunker (eight medals) Ryleigh Dorricott (three), Lincoln Beamsley (one), Rachel Pui (one) and the girls freestyle relay team (one).
As well as the trophy, the club will get a skills session run by Alastair Johnson, the development athlete and coach manager for Swimming New Zealand.
Bunker said there was a monthly club night for kids of all ages.
“We encourage them to come along on a Friday and swim with us.
“Now that we’ve learned to live with Covid-19, we are back to having a lot more swim meets as well.
“Whanganui hosted the West Coast Championships recently and there were seven and eight-year-old kids competing in that. It gives them a taste of competition and shows why you train three or four times a week.
“You can then go on and have these successes.”
The next big meet for the juniors is the Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay champs in mid-December, in which Whanganui would have a big contingent, Bunker said.
