Junior swimmer Konrad Artz has won five first place ribbons at the New Zealand Junior Festival Mako’s Zone Competition at Dunedin. He won the 100m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m freestyle and 100m individual medley.
He was one of six from the Ashburton Swim Team to travel south for the event. Also competing were Kahu Pomare, Arthur Giera, James McNally, Jessie Davidson and Elena McNally.
Club president Anne Tait said in a statement it was where all of the South Island’s best 12-years of age and under swimmers came together to compete.
She said all six competed ‘‘exceptionally well against the tough competition’’ and notched up 34 personal best times between them.
‘‘Kahu, Jessie, Arthur and James all gained top ten placings during the course of the competition while all swimmers gained personal best times,’’ she said.
Coach Bailey Tait, herself once a competitive swimmer for the Ashburton team, was impressed with her young team’s performance and said they swam ‘‘extremely well against some good competition’’.
‘‘The experiences gained are going to hold real value for the youngsters in the future,’’ she said.
