At just 13 Geelong Swimming Club’s Hayley Mackinder has broken a 26-year-old national record and qualified for the Australian Olympic trials in June.
Mackinder swam the 100m breaststroke in 1:11.66 at the Australian Age Swimming Championships last month, beating the Australian record for the 13-years age group of 1:12.10 set in 1995.
“It felt pretty incredible to break the record and I actually didn’t realise I had until after the race,” she said.
She backed up the record by winning gold in the final.
“I went out harder in the final and did a PB for my first 50m, so I was pretty happy,” she said.
“I think I’m just relieved that I put together a good race and was able to back it up in the final and get the gold – so I’m really happy.
“I’m so lucky to have the best coaches Sam [Ashby] and Lucky [Weerakkod] … they have always believed in me.
“I also couldn’t do it without my parents and my sister – it’s a big commitment from my whole family. My club mates are the best, we were by far the loudest-cheering club there!”
Fellow Geelong Swimming Club member Matilda Byrnes won bronze in the women’s 13-years 100m butterfly, the club’s first medal in this category for 18 years, and the 100m backstroke.
Madison Cooper made finals in the women’s 16-years 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle to qualify for the upcoming Olympic trials.
Dylan Logan competed in the Australian Age and Open Multiclass Nationals and won gold in the men’s 17/18-years 100m backstroke, along with silver in the 50m freestyle and the men’s open 50m butterfly.
The swimmers train at Kardinia Aquatic Centre, which runs nine training sessions each week.
Last year council allocated $300,000 to open the South Geelong facility for an extended period during the 2020 off season.
Geelong Swimming Club president Glenn Benson said council keeping the pool open and adapting to COVID-19 restrictions contributed to the club’s “extraordinary results during the 2020-21 season”.
Geelong deputy mayor Trent Sullivan congratulated Hayley and her peers for their athleticism and dedication, and praised Geelong Swimming Club for its support and training programs.
“It’s incredible to see Geelong represented so strongly on the national stage,” he said.
“Congratulations to Hayley on her record-breaking swim, gold medal and for qualifying for the Olympic trials.”
