Back to All News

Swimmers excel on the national stage

With a string of successes behind them, ACG Parnell College swimmers are set to make their mark at the upcoming North Island Secondary School Swimming Championships.
Image
Year 9 student Cameron Karpik (middle) at the Swimming NZ National Age Group Championships

This weekend, ACG Parnell College's top swimming stars are ready to compete in the North Island Secondary School Swimming Championships. This much-anticipated contest sees some of the best teenage swimmers in the country go head-to-head as they race to achieve top honours against peers and clubmates, setting new personal and national records in the process.

The talented ACG Parnell swim team already has a string of accolades under their belt after distinguishing themselves in a number of competitions, including both the 2022 Swimming New Zealand National Age Group Championships and Division 2 Championships.

At last month's Swimming NZ National Age Group Championships:

Year 9 student Cameron Karpik dominated his favourite events and celebrated a trifecta of top podium finishes, winning three national titles in his age group (13-year-old boys):

  • First in 50m breaststroke
  • First in 100m breaststroke
  • First in 200m breaststroke

"Cameron specialises in and trains specifically for breaststroke, and his results certainly show that," explains Sports Coordinator Steph Trowill. "His three National Age Group titles have come off the back of being crowned Auckland Swimming Age Group Champion in the same event. In addition, he won gold for ACG Parnell at the College Sport Auckland Swimming Championships in the junior boys 50m breaststroke earlier this year."

Then, at the recent Swimming NZ Division 2 Championships:

Lucas Xia (Year 9) proved to be unstoppable in the 13-year-old boys' age group:

  • First in 50m breaststroke
  • First in 50m butterfly
  • First in 100m individual medley
  • First in 200m individual medley
  • Second in 50m freestyle
  • Second in 100m freestyle

While Bradley Searle (Year 9) also enjoyed some outstanding success in the same age group:

  • Second in 200m butterfly
  • Second in 200m individual medley
  • Third in 200m freestyle

Plus, Bosco Ding (Year 10) performed incredibly well in the 14-year-old boys' age group, adding another two gold medals to the team's impressive tally:

  • First in 50m breaststroke
  • First in 100m breaststroke

"At the Division 2 Championships, it was great to see Lucas, Bradley and Bosco mastering and excelling in a variety of different strokes with several top three placings amongst them,” Steph confirms. “Hopefully, they will meet the qualifying times for the National Age Group Championships in the near future and have the opportunity to compete against the best of the best.

"We are very proud of all our students who have achieved fantastic results at the National Age Group Championships and Division 2 Championships. All four boys compete for the United Swimming Club as well and put in several hours of training with them every week. Their individual results contributed to the wider success of the United Swimming Club, which was recognised as the top club at both meets."

Principal Damian Watson couldn't agree more, saying, "We are pleased to have a group of highly dedicated and talented swimmers at ACG Parnell College this year. It is great to see them achieving such outstanding results at both regional and national levels, and we will watch their progress with interest."

Year 9 student Lucas Xia (middle) at the Swimming NZ Division 2 Championships
Teammate Bradley Searle (right) had a great meet with three podium finishes
Year 10 student Bosco Ding (middle) also took top honours at the event, winning two gold medals