Day three at the 2023 Hancock Prospecting State Championships belonged to Iona Anderson (Breakers/WAIS), who touched the wall with an impressive 27.52 in the 50m Backstroke. Only 0.03 seconds off the Junior World Record, Anderson also shattered multiple records, including the 18 years and open WA All Comers, WA All Time, and WA Residential. Alyssa Burgess (Breakers/WAIS) and Isabel Sheldrick (Fenix, c: Deb Jones) followed closely, all improving their times from the heats.
Tom Wyatt (Breakers, c: Harry Clark) stole the spotlight in the Men’s 50m Butterfly, clocking in at 24.71. Having previously broken the 18 years WA Residential Record with a 24.48 in the heats, Wyatt continued to dominate in the finals. Damian Badenhorst (Rockingham/WAIS) and Jayden Yong (UWA West Coast/WAIS) also impressed, both securing times within the 24-second mark.
In the Women’s 400m Individual Medley, Lucy Porter (St Hilda’s, c: Zoe Baker) finished two body lengths ahead of her competitors. Porter touched at 5:03.96, an impressive 6-second improvement from her morning swim. Helen Smith (Highlanders, c: Ryan Steenkamp) and Nouk Potter (Southside Penrhos, c: Nick Watkins) followed suit, each shaving off significant chunks from their heat times.
The Women’s 100m Freestyle witnessed a thrilling battle between Inez Miller (Fenix, c: Deb Jones) and Sylvia Czajko (UWA West Coast, c: Rob Palfery), stroke by stroke. In the end, Miller touched the wall first at 55.81, securing gold. Sylvia Czajko and Alyssa Burgess followed, clinching silver and bronze in a close race.
Joshua Yong (UWA West Coast/WAIS) took charge of in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, staying around the minute mark. He finished ahead of Breaker’s Harrison Farmer and UWA West Coast’s Joshua Nowrojee.
In the Women’s 200m Butterfly, Sarah Overheu (Westside Christchurch, c: Jon Harrison) won gold with a time of 2:20.60. Daisy Kammermann (Riverton, c: Gemma Herrington) and Luciana Taraborrelli (Fenix, c: Deb Jones) secured second and third place, respectively.
The Men’s 200m IM saw Alec Mander (South Shore, c: Matt Magee) clocking in at 2:07.57, with Highlander’s Tex Cross and Westside Christchurch’s Thomas Michael closely following.
In the Men’s 200m Backstroke, Samuel Hicks (Westside Christchurch, c: Jon Harrison) claimed champion with a time of 2:12.95, leading Guildford & Kalamunda’s Bailey Bradbrook and UWA West Coast’s Benjamin Manning in a captivating race.
In the Women’s 100m Butterfly Multi-Class, Rebekah Fraser S15 (Riverton, c: Gemma Herrington) secured gold and Miranda Kiewiet S19 (Australind, c: Taarna Cam) dropping a staggering 16.48 seconds to secure silver. In the Men’s 50m Butterfly Multi-Class, Australind’s Morgan Hill clinched gold, UWA West Coast’s Zachary McCamley won silver with a new personal best time, and Alexey Ulupov (Kwinana, c: Kareena Preston) secured third, also improving his previous time.
