Metro South West Development Squads

17 March 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
This year, swimmers must nominate if they want to be selected in one of the Metro South West Development Squads.

To be eligible for selection, swimmers must have competed in the meets below and return the nomination form to Metro South West by the 1st April, 2009.

B Squad (Target Squad)
Selection Group: 13 – 16 years who have competed at Summer Metro and/or State Championships.
Eligibility: Nominee’s must have competed in Metro South West Championships at Blacktown on 21-22 February, 2009.


C Squad (Achiever Squad)
Selection Group: 10 – 12 years who have competed at Summer Metro and/or State Championships.
Eligibility: Nominee’s must have competed in Metro South West Championships at Blacktown on 21-22 February, 2009.


D Squad (Development Squad)
Selection Group: 9 – 16 years who have not qualified for Summer Metro or State Championships.
Eligibility: Nominee’s must have competed at either:
  • Metro South West Championships at Blacktown on 21-22 February, 2009
  • Metro South West Sprint Meet at Merrylands on 28th March, 2009
  • Speedo Sprint Series Heats at SOPAC on 8th February, 2009
Members of this Squad will be selected to compete at the Swimming NSW Development Meet.


Novice Squad
Selection Group: 7 – 8 years
Eligibility: Nominee’s must have competed at either:
  • Metro South West 5-8yrs Meet at Guildford on 28th February, 2009
  • Metro South West Sprint Meet at Merrylands on 28th March, 2009
  • Speedo Sprint Series Heats at SOPAC on 8th February, 2009
See Also
  • 2009 Metro South West Development Squads - Nomination Form

  • 2009 Metro South West Development Squads - Nomination Criteria

    • Swimsuit Rule Changes

    14 March 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    In light of recent advancements made in swim suit design and their impact on the sport over the past few years, Swimming Australia announced in December 2008 that it was making changes to the rules concerning swimsuits that could be worn in competition. Swimming New South Wales has now announced it's own changes.

    The following changes have been made to Swimming Australia's By-Laws for the conduct of Age Group Events.

    CBL14.2 Additional Swimsuit Guidelines for Age Group Events
    1. All swimwear worn by competitors in Age Group Events (18 and under) conducted in Australia by SAL shall be commercially available products.
    2. Swimwear worn by competitors in Age Group Events shall conform to the following design – effective 1 April 2009:
    3. Men’s swimwear is limited to one (1) swimsuit that covers at most the body surface from hips to knee. Swimwear must not extend above the waist or below the knees;
    4. Women’s swimwear is limited to one (1) swimsuit that is of “open back” and “open shoulder” designs that may extend down to the knee. Swimwear must not extend below the knees.
    5. Swimwear must not have a zipper or any type of fastening system.
    An Age Group Event is defined as any 18 and under swimming event conducted by SAL under the Australian Championships By-Laws. Currently this includes:
    • Australian Age Championships (including Age SWD and Age Open Water), and
    • State Teams Age Short Course Championships.

    Swimming NSW has now published it's own rule changes for swimwear:

    GR19
    FINA GR5    		 SWIMWEAR
    GR19.1 General Swimsuit Guidelines
    GR19.1.1
    FINA GR5.1    		 The swimwear (swimsuit, cap and goggles) of all swimmers shall be in good moral taste and suitable for the individual sports discipline.
    GR19.1.2
    FINA GR5.2    		 All costumes shall be non-transparent and must conform with FINA approved standards in all respects
    GR19.1.3
    FINA GR5.3    		 In open swimming competitions the swimmer must wear swimsuit in one or two pieces which shall not extend beyond the ankles, the wrists and the neck. No additional items, like arm bands or leg bands shall be regarded as parts of a swimsuit.
    GR19.1.4
    FINA GR5.4    		 The Referee of a competition has the authority to exclude any competitor whose swimsuit does not comply with this Rule.
    GR19.1.5 From 1st April 2009 Swimwear is limited to one (1) swimsuit
    GR19.2 Additional Swimsuit Guidelines for Age Group Events
    GR19.2.1 All swimwear worn by competitors in Age Group Events (18 & under) conducted in NSW by Swimming NSW and any Member Associations shall be commercially available products.
    GR19.2.2 Swimwear worn by competitors in Age Group Events conducted in NSW by Swimming NSW and any Member Associations shall conform to the following design – effective 1st April 2009:
    1. Men’s swimwear is limited to one (1) swimsuit that covers at most the body surface from hips to knee. Swimwear may not extend above the waist or below the knees;
    2. Women’s swimwear is limited to one (1) swimsuit that is of “open back” and “open shoulder” designs that may extend down to the knee. Swimwear must not extend below the knees.
    3. Swimwear must not have a zipper or any type of fastening system.
    Interpretation of GR19.1.5 and GR19.2.2 (i) and GR19.2.2 (ii)
    For the purposes of these General Rules, one (1) swimsuit may include the wearing of a single pair of “briefs” or “bikini bottoms” to ensure the modesty and privacy of swimmers.

    See Also
  • The Rules of Swimming New South Wales Ltd incorporating General Rules, Swimming Rules, and Open Water Swimming Rules

  • Important Changes to the SAL By Laws for Age Group Events

    • Merrylands club in the swim for 40 years

    10 March 2009 Peter-Johnston Media Articles
    JANET Sloane, whose daughter pretends to be a mermaid, never swam when she was a child growing up in Mount Druitt.

    But decades later when her nine-year-old daughter Belinda showed an interest in joining Merrylands Amateur Swimming Club, she decided to jump in and join them at the Merrylands Swimming Centre.

    Today, Mrs Sloane is a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the adult swim classes and also the club’s social secretary.

    “I could always hold myself afloat, but three years ago I decided to get fit and improve my swimming,” Mrs Sloane said.

    “I never went swimming when I was young because I had no desire.

    “But my daughter Belinda, who pretends she is a mermaid, became interested in swimming and her enthusiasm got me involved. I love swimming now.”

    Merrylands Amateur Swimming Club celebrates its 40th anniversary at the Crown on McCredie, Guildford, on Saturday, March 28.

    “We are hoping past and current members will join us for dinner and fundraising for the swimming club,” Mrs Sloane said.

    Merrylands SwimFest Results

    01 March 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    The Results of the Merrylands SwimFest are now available.

    Thank you to everyone who attended the meet. We hope that you had an enjoyable day and achieved some good results.

    Thank you to all the members of our club and other volunteers who worked at the meet, we couldn't have run it without you and you did a great job.

    The results of the meet are now available in the SwimFest section of our website.

    See Also
  • Merrylands SwimFest

    • 5 to 8 Years Meet Results

    28 February 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    Fady Farid won 2 medals at today's Metro South West 5-8yrs Meet at Guildford Pool.

    Fady finished 3rd in both the 6yrs 25m Freestyle and 6yrs 25m Butterfly.

    Our 7 other swimmers also swam well, with a number of new personal best times swum.

    Congratulations to all our swimmers on their results. The club finished in 14th place overall and the full results are now available.

    Thank you to Sarah Johnston and Dylan Baker who were the Team Coaches for the meet.

    See Also
  • 2009 Metro South West 5-8yrs Meet - Results

  • 2009 Metro South West 5-8yrs Meet - Team

    • Merrylands SwimFest

    24 February 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    Almost 900 entries have been received for our annual swimming meet, the Merrylands SwimFest, which will be held at Merrylands Swimming Centre on Sunday, 1st March, 2009.

    Over 200 swimmers from 27 clubs have entered this year's meet with 895 entries received.

    A full timeline and list of clubs competing can be found in the Merrylands SwimFest section of our website.
    Please note that the timeline should be used as a guide only.

    Visiting clubs are reminded to bring their own chairs and shelter as there is limited seating and cover at Merrylands Swimming Centre.

    We would like to thank the sponsors of the meet for their continued support.

    The 2009 Merrylands SwimFest Swim Meet is proudly supported by:
  • Merrylands Bowling & Sports Club


    • See Also
  • Merrylands SwimFest Swim Meet

    • Metro South West 5-8yrs Meet

    24 February 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    The Metro South West 5 to 8yrs Meet will be held at the Guildford Swimming Centre this Saturday.

    Merrylands will be sending one of its biggest teams ever to the meet. The club will be represented by 9 swimmers and, for 5 of them, this will be their first ever meet.

    Our team consists of:
    Issac Adamson
    Stefanie Adamson
    Hayley Baker
    Fady Farid
    Philo Farid
    Isabella Hudson
    Jack Sloane
    Carl Sorensen
    Abby Wilson

    Good luck to all our swimmers at the meet.

    See Also
  • Metro South West 5 to 8yrs Meet - Program of Events

    • 9 Medals at Metro South West Championships

    23 February 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    Merrylands' team of 15 swimmers won 9 championship medals and were finalists in 12 events at the inaugural Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships on the weekend. The club's results made this year's meet the club's most successful District/Area Championships in more than 15 years. Twelve new personal best times were also swum at the meet.

    Brittany Johnson won the club's first medal of the meet, finishing in third place in the 17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle in 30.25. Swimming in Lane 8, Brittany just managed to touch out the following competitors with less than half a second covering 3rd to 6th place.

    The next medal was won by Anthony Ventra when he won the gold in the 15yrs 100m Freestyle in a new personal best time of 1:01.31. In the process he became the club's first Area Champion in an event since Jordan Burden in 2002. Anthony went on to win a second championship medal, this time finishing 3rd in the 15yrs 100m Breaststroke. In the Non-Championship events, Anthony also won a gold medal in the 15yrs 50m Freestyle.

    Not to be out done, Mitchell Burt became the club's next Area Champion, this time in the 15yrs 200m Individual Medley. Mitchell had already taken home the bronze medal behind Anthony in the 100m Freestyle in a new personal best time but in the IM he smashed his PB by over 6 seconds to win the gold in 2:35.88. On Sunday he returned to win the bronze medal in the 15yrs 100m Backstroke in another personal best of 1:14.57.

    David Wang also won a medal in the 15yrs 200m Individual Medley, finishing in 3rd place which equaled his result from last year's Cumberland Championships where he also took home the bronze in the 200m Individual Medley.

    Peter Johnston was the club's 5th medallist at the meet. In another tight finish, Peter won the bronze medal in the 17yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke, less than 1/10th second ahead of 4th place.

    The club's final medal came in the second last event of the meet, when our 15yrs & Over 4x50m Freestyle Relay team of Steven Nguyen, Peter Johnston, Mitchell Burt and Anthony Ventra finished just 0.37 ahead of the 4th placed team to take home another bronze and our 9th medal of the meet.

    Seven out of twelve of our individual competitors were a finalist in at least one of their events. Steven Nguyen finished in 8th place in the 17yrs & Over 50m Butterfly while Amber Johnson's best result came in the 16yrs 100m Freestyle where she finished in 6th and Jonathan Tuivawa finished 6th in the 17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke.

    Finalist & Medallist Summary:

    Mitchell Burt
    15yrs 100m Freestyle (Bronze)
    15yrs 100m Backstroke (Bronze)
    15yrs 100m Breaststroke (7th)
    15yrs 200m Individual Medley (Gold)
    Anthony Ventra
    15yrs 100m Freestyle (Gold)
    15yrs 100m Breaststroke (Bronze)
    David Wang
    15yrs 100m Freestyle (4th)
    15yrs 100m Breaststroke (6th)
    15yrs 200m Individual Medley (Bronze)
    Amber Johnson
    16yrs 100m Freestyle (6th)
    16yrs 100m Backstroke (7th)
    Jonathan Tuivawa
    17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke (6th)
    Steven Nguyen
    17yrs & Over 50m Butterfly (8th)
    Brittany Johnson
    17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle (Bronze)
    Open 400m Individual Medley (7th)
    Peter Johnston
    17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke (8th)
    17yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke (Bronze)

    The swimmers who swam PBs were:

    Timothy Tunks
    100m Freestyle
    Belinda Sloane
    100m Freestyle
    Mitchell Burt
    100m Freestyle
    100m Backstroke
    200m Individual Medley
    Anthony Ventra
    100m Freestyle
    200m Breaststroke
    Jonathan Tuivawa
    50m Backstroke
    Brittany Johnson
    50m Freestyle
    400m Individual Medley
    Jessica O'Donnell
    50m Freestyle
    50m Butterfly

    Congratulations to all 15 swimmers on their performances and thank you to Darren Sloane, Felix Lo and Reece Tulloch who came along especially to swim in our 10x50m relay. Overall our club finished in 13th position on 476 points. Our male team finished in 13th place on 367, with our female team finishing in 21st on 109.

    The full results now available here.

    Medal Tally
    Gold 2
    Silver 0
    Bronze 7

    See Also
  • 2009 Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships - Team

  • 2009 Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships - Results
  • 2002 Cumberland Championship Results - Report



    • 2009 Metro South West Championship Medallists

    Metro South West Championships

    18 February 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    The inaugural Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships will be held at the Blacktown Aquatic Centre on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd February, 2009.

    Our club will be represented by 15 swimmers at the meet, competing in 42 individual championship events.

    Our team will be competing in the following championship events over the two day meet:

    Timothy Tunks
    10yrs 100m Freestyle (Day 2 - Session 4 - 4:32pm)
    Belinda Sloane
    13yrs 100m Breaststroke (Day 1 - Session 1 - 11:48am)
    13yrs 100m Backstroke (Day 1 - Session 2 - 4:19pm)
    13yrs 100m Freestyle (Day 2 - Session 4 - 5:07pm)
    Rebecca Tuivawa
    13yrs 100m Breaststroke (Day 1 - Session 1 - 11:48am)
    Open 800m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 2 - 2:26pm)
    13yrs 100m Backstroke (Day 1 - Session 2 - 4:19pm)
    13yrs 100m Butterfly (Day 2 - Session 3 - 10:39am)
    13yrs 200m Individual Medley (Day 2 - Session 4 - 2:53pm)
    13yrs 100m Freestyle (Day 2 - Session 4 - 5:07pm)
    Mitchell Burt
    15yrs 100m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 2 - 4:03pm)
    15yrs 200m Individual Medley (Day 1 - Session 2 - 6:07pm)
    15yrs 200m Backstroke (Day 2 - Session 3 - 9:50am)
    15yrs 100m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 4 - 4:14pm)
    Anthony Ventra
    15yrs 100m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 2 - 4:03pm)
    Open 200m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 4 - 3:26pm)
    15yrs 100m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 4 - 4:14pm)
    David Wang
    15yrs 100m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 2 - 4:03pm)
    15yrs 200m Individual Medley (Day 1 - Session 2 - 6:07pm)
    15yrs 100m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 4 - 4:14pm)
    Amber Johnson
    16yrs 100m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 1 - 11:18am)
    Open 100m Backstroke (Day 1 - Session 1 - 12:48pm)
    16yrs 100m Backstroke (Day 2 - Session 4 - 4:09pm)
    Steven Nguyen
    17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 1 - 12:20pm)
    Open 100m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 2 - 5:32pm)
    17yrs & Over 50m Butterfly (Day 2 - Session 4 - 3:04pm)
    Brittany Johnson
    17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 1 - 12:23pm)
    Open 400m Individual Medley (Day 2 - Session 4 - 2:04pm)
    Jessica O'Donnell
    17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 1 - 12:23pm)
    17yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 3 - 10:30am)
    17yrs & Over 50m Butterfly (Day 2 - Session 4 - 3:06pm)
    Peter Johnston
    17yrs & Over 50m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 1 - 12:20pm)
    17yrs & Over 50m Backstroke (Day 1 - Session 2 - 5:06pm)
    Open 100m Freestyle (Day 1 - Session 2 - 5:32pm)
    17yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 3 - 10:28am)
    Open 100m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 3 - 10:56am)
    17yrs & Over 50m Butterfly (Day 2 - Session 4 - 3:04pm)
    Open 200m Breaststroke (Day 2 - Session 4 - 3:26pm)
    15yrs & Over Relays
    Mens 4x50m Medley Relay
        Mitchell Burt, Peter Johnston
        Steven Nguyen, Anthony Ventra    		 (Day 2 - Session 3 - 10:47am)
    Mens 4x50m Freestyle Relay
        Steven Nguyen, Peter Johnston
        Mitchell Burt, Anthony Ventra    		 (Day 2 - Session 4 - 5:17pm)
    Womens 4x50m Freestyle Relay
        Amber Johnson, Belinda Sloane
        Jessica O'Donnell, Brittany Johnson    		 (Day 2 - Session 4 - 5:19pm)
    Open Relays
    Mens Open 10x50m Freestyle Relay
        Steven Nguyen, Felix Lo, Timothy Tunks, Jonathan Tuivawa, Reece Tulloch
        Peter Johnston, Darren Sloane, David Wang, Mitchell Burt, Anthony Ventra    		 (Day 2 - Session 4 - 1:45pm)

    Times should be used as a guide only.

    Congratulations to our swimmers for qualifying and good luck at the meet.

    You can follow the team's progress over the weekend at http://www.cumberlandswim.com.au/.

    See Also
  • 2009 Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships - Program of Events
  • 2009 Metro South West Area Open & Age Championships - Qualifying Times
  • State, Metropolitan and Country Championship Procedures

  • Competitor Information

    • NSW State Open Championships

    12 February 2009 Peter-Johnston Latest News
    Amber Johnson will represent Merrylands at the NSW State Open Championships which start at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Friday, 13th February, 2009.

    Amber will be the club's first representative in the Open Championships since 2004. She will be competing in the heats of the Open 100m Backstroke on Saturday morning.

    Amber Johnson
    Open 100m Backstroke (Day 2 - Saturday Heats (Session 3) - 10:14am)

    Times should be used as a guide only. - Please Note: Parking at Sydney Olympic Park has increased to $10 from January 1st, 2009.

    Congratulations to Amber for qualifying and good luck to her at the meet. You can follow her progress over the week at http://www.nswswimming.com.au/.

    See Also
  • 2009 NSW State Open Championships - Qualifying Times

  • State, Metropolitan and Country Championship Procedures

  • Competitor Information

  • Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre Parking Arrangements