National gold for Schimanski

Shannon Schimanski on top of the podium at the NZ Short Course Champs.

There were only four of them, but the Wanganui Toyota Swim Team members punched above their collective weight at the NZ Short Course Championships in Auckland last week.

The collective points the four swimmers earned from their placings across their specialist disciplines, which included making several finals, had them up there amongst the big city clubs with dozens of representatives for the national event.

"Overall, out of the clubs, we were placed 20th in women's points," said spokesman Neil Forlong

"The team immediately behind us, 21st, had eight swimmers.

"The team that won, it had 50. I'm not joking, 50 women swimmers."

The best Whanganui performer at the Owen Glenn National Aquatic Centre was Shannon Schimanski, who won the 16-year girls 50m breastroke and took bronze in the 100m breastroke.

Schimanski made the final of the Open Women's 100m breastroke, finishing ninth, and made finals in the 16-year girls 200m breastroke (5th) and 50m backstroke (10th).

Sarya Lower had a strong nationals in the 15-year girls, with 4th in the 50m breastroke, and three fifth placings in the 50m and 100m medley's, as well as the 200m individual medley.

She was also seventh in the 100m breastroke.

As well as the leading New Zealand entrants, Elena Forlong was facing several visiting Australian swimmers in the 17-18 year girls grade.

Forlong came fourth in the 200m butterfly (third Kiwi), seventh in the 100m butterfly and 10th in the Open Women's butterfly (8th Kiwi).

She also finished 9th in the 400m individual medley and 10th in the 100m backstroke.

Newcomer Amelia Cronin did very well as a 13-year-old at her first nationals, finishing 9th in the 100m freestyle.

The four club members then teamed together in the Open Club relays, finishing 10th in the 4x100m freestyle, and 11th in the 4x50m medley.

Several of the club's junior members also did well at the Levin Swimming Club's Paul Kent Memorial meet on Sunday.

Eight medals were won overall, including several first placings.