Alison Johnston swam a season best time at the NSW Senior Metropolitan Championships on the weekend.

Alison swam 29.25 to finish in 62nd place out of 102 swimmers.

Well done Alison.

Alison Johnston will represent Merrylands at the 2018/2019 NSW Senior Metropolitan Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. The championships will be held on 1st & 2nd December, 2018.

Alison will swim in the Open 50m Freestyle on Saturday.

Congratulations to Alison for qualifying and we wish her the best of luck at the meet.

You can follow her progress over the weekend at https://nsw.swimming.org.au/.

See Also

• Swimming NSW

Merrylands' team finished the Metro South West Senior Championships with 1 medal, 8 finalists and 4 new personal best times.

Reece Tomkinson finished with a Bronze medal in the 17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke and was also a finalist in the Open 100m Backstroke and 17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle.

Alison Johnston was a finalist 5 events, finishing in the top 10 in the 17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly and Open 100m Freestyle. Alison also swam 2 new personal best times, with PBs in the 50m Backstroke and 50m Breaststroke.

Steven Nguyen was a finalist in the 17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle, while Michael Evans swam new personal best times in the 100m Breaststroke and 100m Backstroke.

Congratulations to our team on their results.

See Also

• 2018/2019 Metro South West Area Senior Open & Age Championships - Results

Merrylands will be represented by 4 swimmers at the Metro South West Senior Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre this weekend.

Due to changes in the Swimming NSW calendar for this season, Area, Metropolitan and State Championships have been split into separate streams, with the Senior Championships held in the first half of the summer, and Junior Championships in the second half of the summer.

Our team of 4 will compete in 18 individual events over the 2 day meet. The club will be represented by:

Michael Evans
Steven Nguyen
Alison Johnston
Reece Tomkinson

Good luck to our team at the championships.

Merrylands Swim Centre and Merrylands Amateur Swim Club (ASC) are turning 50 and to celebrate Cumberland Council and Merrylands ASC are hosting a breakfast and pool party on Saturday 10 November.

Mayor Greg Cummings said that for 50 years the Merrylands Swim Centre has been a cornerstone of the Cumberland community, where generations of locals have grown up learning to swim, competing in carnivals and cooling off from the summer heat.

“Fifty years is a huge milestone for the swim centre, the swim club and the entire community. Since its opening in 1968, thousands of Cumberland residents have come through the doors of Merrylands Swim Centre to enjoy the facilities,” Mayor Cummings said.

“As one of five pools in Cumberland, Merrylands Swim Centre forms part of the Merrylands Park Regional Sporting Centre and boasts an eight lane 50 metre competition pool, a training pool and a baby pool. Now that summer is here it’s the perfect time to get your togs out and go for a swim; Cumberland pools are open all summer long.

“All Cumberland residents are invited to join with current and former swim club members for the special anniversary event which will include club races, novelty events, pool inflatables, as well as a community breakfast. The event is free but regular pool entry costs apply.”

President of the Merrylands ASC and ASC member for more than 35 years, Graham Edwards believes that local swim centres such as Merrylands Swim Centre play a key role within the local community bringing together children, families and adults.

“As the local population continues to grow and age, the local swim centres are an essential community facility as they provide a range of activities, be that socially, educationally, recreationally and competitively,” Mr Edwards said.

“Swimming is a sport you can do all year round for your entire life, no matter what walk of life you come from. As a swim club we all enjoy and celebrate the successes of our members of all levels. New members are always welcome and we have swim programs for toddlers, children and adults.

“Any swimmer, young or old who can swim at least 15 metres can join in the races and registrations can be made online. We’re inviting everyone join us to help celebrate this milestone, find out what our club is about and have a fun time in the pool.”

• What: Merrylands Swim Centre and Amateur Swim Club 50 year celebration
• When: Saturday 10 November from 7am
• Where: Merrylands Swim Centre, 17 Burnett Street, Merrylands
• RSVP: Direct to the Swim Club via www.merrylandsasc.asn.au/50thanniversary/

Back row - Reece Tomkinson (Coach), Peter Johnston (Head Club Coach), Mayor Greg Cummings.
Front row - Alison Johnston (Coach), Helen Macpherson, Summer Shrestha, Charlie-Rose El Riachi

Two members will represent Merrylands at the 2018 NSW State Age Short Course Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. The championships will be held from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th August, 2018.

Merrylands will be represented by Reece Tomkinson and Alison Johnston at the meet, swimming in 5 events.

Reece and Alison will compete in the following events:

Reece Tomkinson
200m Backstroke
50m Backstroke
100m Backstroke
50m Freestyle

Alison Johnston
50m Freestyle

Congratulations to Reece and Alison for qualifying and good luck to them at the meet.

You can follow the team's progress over the weekend at https://nsw.swimming.org.au/.

See Also

• Swimming NSW

Excellent results by our 2 swimmers at the NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships this weekend with 3 new personal best times and 1 season best time.

Reece Tomkinson swam new PBs in the 100m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly and 200m Backstroke, while Alison Johnston swam a season best time in the 50m Freestyle.

Well done to both Reece and Alison on their results.

See Also

• 2018 NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships - Videos
• 2018 NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships - Photos
• 2018 NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships - Team

Two members will represent Merrylands at the 2018 NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd July, 2018.

Merrylands will be represented by Reece Tomkinson and Alison Johnston at the three day meet in 7 events.

Our team will compete in the following events:

Reece Tomkinson
100m Backstroke
50m Freestyle
50m Butterfly
100m Butterfly
200m Backstroke
50m Backstroke

Alison Johnston
50m Freestyle

Congratulations to Reece and Alison for qualifying and good luck to them at the meet.

You can follow the team's progress over the weekend at https://nsw.swimming.org.au/.

See Also

• Swimming NSW

COMPETING in 10 events, Alison Johnston returned from last month's Masters Swimming Australia National Championships in Perth with 10 medals.

Swimming under her maiden name of Sakurovs, the Merrylands Amateur Swimming Club member picked up four gold and six silver, giving her in the highest point score for her age group.

It was her seventh time competing at the masters nationals but her first gold medal and she credits her strong performance to the birth of her son four years ago.

"I've been swimming almost all my life, since I was five years old," she said.

"I've always swum but more plodding along.

"That's picked up in the past few years, strangely I am faster now since I had my son William.

"He's definitely keeping me fit."

However she admits with a laugh that it doesn't hurt that her husband Peter is an award winning coach for the club, named the Masters NSW Coach of the Year for 2017, a title he also won in 2013.

"We are very professional in the water but at home we probably talk about swimming way too much over the dinner table," she said.

A member of the Merrylands Club for the past eight years, she says swimming is good for any age from babies to adults, with masters events for age categories from 18 and upward.

"They don't stop," she said.

"Swimming is easy on your joints and good for your lungs; it's good for any age."

Making a formidable team both in and out of the water, Peter and Alison Johnston from the Merrylands Amateur Swimming Club picked 11 medals between them at the Australian Masters Championships in Perth last month. Alison collected 10 medals, Peter won a bronze, and two other swimmers from the club, Ian and Tricia Johnston, also swam new personal bests at the event.

Source: http://www.localnewsplus.com.au/story?ID=137276&stories=stories&publication=Review&section=Sport

After 4 huge days of competition at the Australian Masters Championships in Perth over the past week, Merrylands' team has finished the meet with 11 medals, 5 new personal best times and 14 season best times.

Alison Johnston took home 10 medals from the meet - 4 Gold and 6 Silver. Her gold medals are her first at a National level. The highlight of the meet for Alison though was undoubtably her gold medal in the 50m Freestyle - her final event of the championships. Alison had been working for the gold in this event for the past 3 years and it all came together this year. Putting aside the distraction of being in the same heat as her husband, and the fatigue from the previous 3 days of competition, Alison posted a time just outside her PB to take the gold and finish with the 3rd fastest female time overall. (For the record, Peter touched just 0.22 in front).

Peter won the club's 11th medal at the meet, with Bronze in the 50m Breaststroke, and season best times in all 12 of his events.

Ian Johnston had an excellent meet, swimming 4 new personal best times from his 9 events. Ian took 2 seconds off his 50m Backstroke, 5 seconds off his 100m Backstroke, 12 seconds off his 200m Backstroke and 1.5 seconds off his 50m Butterfly. Ian also swam 4 new season best times.

Our final swimmer, Tricia Johnston, gradually warmed-up up as the meet progressed, with a Freestyle swim in the relay on Day 3 just outside her personal best. She followed this up on Day 4 with a big 1.5 second PB in the 50m Freestyle.

To top it all off, at the Presentation Dinner, Peter was named as the 2017 Masters Swimming Australia Coach of the Year.

Medallists

Personal Best Times

Medal Tally

Congratulations to our team on their results!

See Also

• 2018 Australian Masters Championships - Day 1
• 2018 Australian Masters Championships - Day 2
• 2018 Australian Masters Championships - Day 3
• 2018 Australian Masters Championships - Day 4
• 2017 Australian Masters Coach of the Year
• 2018 Australian Masters Championships - Live Results
• 2018 Australian Masters Championships