By JARROD POTTER
HAILEYBURY Waterlions excelled at the State Teams Age Short Course Championships in Canberra last month – with Declan Forster and Benjamin Hewitt claiming gold for Victoria.
Forster and Hewitt were pivotal members of the boy’s 14 to 15 year 4x100m freestyle relay – helping Team Victoria touch the wall in 3.25.79 to win the top honour also claim the event record.
“I thought Declan particularly was good as he had been sick for three weeks,” Waterlions’ coach Wayne Lawes said.
“Handled himself extraordinarily well – he’d been crook for that three weeks and couldn’t get rid of it.”
Hewitt backed up his anchoring of the 4x100m team with a gold medal as part of the 8x50m mixed relay team – touching in 3.13.76.
“Benny smoked out a good one – he’s a really talented boy too,” Lawes said.
“He loved it – got so much out of it.
“That concept in itself is great – one of the only times they can represent the state – good learning concept and it’s tough.
“It’s relentless – the turnarounds are very short.”
Kiera Bates and Jesse Collins (12th 14-15B 1500m and 14th 400m) were the other two Waterlions invited to the meet.
