What a weekend! 20 medals: seven gold, four silver and nine bronze.
14 individual medals, four team medals and an NZ Age Group record all ended up making Diocesan School for Girls the Top Girls’ School at the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Championships.
Co-Captain Aimee Crosbie led the way picking up five of her own – 1st in the 50m and 100m butterfly – the 50m being a New NZ Age Group record and 2nd in the 100m IM, 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle. Fellow Co-Captain Jesse Welsh added a haul of her own with two golds in the 50m and 200m backstroke, silver in the 400m freestyle and a bronze in the 100m backstroke.
Year 13 Lucy McKinnon came home with one gold in the 200m breaststroke and three bronze medals in the 200m IM, 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke. Eva Allan brought home two bronze medals and Grace Jeromson added a bronze.
The relays provided great excitement with the girls coming away with two golds and two bronze medals. Senior A team of Jesse Welsh, Aimee Crosbie, Lucy McKinnon and Eva Allan won gold in the 4 x 50m free relay and bronze in the 4 x 50m medley relay. They joined forces with Kasey McDowall, Louise Masefield, Arabella Duncan and Nathalie Hull to take the bronze in the 8 x 50m. Jesse and Aimee teamed up to dominate the 2 x 50m from the first heat, bringing home the gold.
The event was a huge success with many girls contributing to the overall results tally. Nathalie Hull won valuable points in the 50m breaststroke (8th) 200m breaststroke (6th) and 100m breaststroke (8th). Peta Clark, Arabella Duncan and Madi Clark raced hard all weekend doing their bit for the team. Thank you to Sophie Shorter-Robinson, Kasey McDowall, Abby Welsh and Louise Masefield who dropped in for the relays after a busy week of water polo. Thank you to Michelle Hull for looking after us all and Anna Welsh for the long hours on poolside. And to the other parents who ensured we were well fed all weekend.
Aimee, Jesse, Lucy and Nathalie have been incredible Dio swim leaders over their time at Dio. We have loved seeing their journey in swimming from a young age and are sad that this is your last meet in the red togs of Dio. You have left a legacy to our younger swimmers and we are excited to see you evolve in your future careers – but what a way to end your time here, representing Dio with pride!
