Bond University swimmers have been crowned overall champions at the UniSport Nationals Swimming in Sydney, successfully defending their title.
The Bull Sharks were also named men’s champions at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre while the women were just pipped to finish second.
The Bond squad ended the meet on 724 points, ahead of the University of Queensland (543) and the Queensland University of Technology (336).
The men’s point score was decisive, with the Buil Sharks notching 375 to second-placed UQ on 184.
In perhaps the tightest tussle of the weekend, UQ were named women’s champions on 359 points to Bond’s 349.
More than 290 students from 25 Australian universities took part in the meet from May 12-14.
Biond University Head Swimming Coach Chris Mooney said his squad would be rewarded with a day off from training today before diving back in tomorrow to prepare for the 2023 World Championship Trials in Melbourne in June.
Those selected will represent Australia at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan in July.
“Our training philosophy revolves around racing so it was good to come up against some pretty stacked teams,” Mooney said.
“I think UQ had something like 171 swimmers which shows the regard in which the event is held - everyone puts a big bounty on it.
“We felt the pressure and even though we didn’t have a big team, we had a quality team in terms of performance.”
Mooney said the Bond men were outstanding.
“We had a plethora of swimmers on offer. We had a great breastroker, great butterflyer, freestyler and backstroker.
“It was heartbreaking for our girls to go so close.
“They were swimming in every event and at the end there just wasn’t enough juice left in the tank.”
Noteworthy performance by Bond swimmers included:
- Madeleine Gough, gold, Women’s 400m Freestyle.
- Flynn Southam, gold, Men’s 400m Freestyle.
- Flynn Southam, gold, Men’s 50m Freestyle (breaking a 12-year-old record in 22.34s).
- Men’s 4x50m Medley Relay: T Hauck, J Collett, B Armbruster, F Southam: Bond University: 1:39.98 (record)
- Men’s 100m Freestyle; Flynn Southam: Bond University: 48.98s (record)
- Men’s 4x50m Freestyle Relay; F Southam, J Collett, T Hauck, B Armbruster: Bond University: 1:30.80 (record)
- Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay; T Hauck, J Collett, L Taylor, M O’Leary: Bond University: 3:53.77 (record)
- Men’s 200m Freestyle; Flynn Southam: Bond University: 1:46.36
- Men’s 50m Butterfly; Ben Armbruster: Bond University: 23.35s
- Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay: F Southam, J Collett, F McLachlan, B Armbruster: Bond University: 3:21.04