Posted on Wednesday 1st May, 2024

MSQ State Championships 2024 – Celebrating Excellence & Diversity

Masters Swimming Queensland State Short Course Championships 2024: Celebrating Excellence and Diversity

The Brisbane Aquatic Centre was the fabulous setting for the Masters Swimming Queensland (MSQ) State Short Course Championships, held from April 18th to 21st, 2024. The event, which attracted 341 competitors from 52 clubs, including 10 multi-class swimmers, offered a diverse program ranging from 25m to 800m races in each stroke, catering to swimmers of all abilities and ages from 19 to 96.

MSQ extended appreciation to members who journeyed from every corner of Queensland, from Port Douglas to Miami, with competitors from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Gympie, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane Metro, the Gold Coast and as far west as Toowoomba.

In addition to local participants, the Championships welcomed national and international visitors from the ACT, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and even Malaysia, highlighting the event’s status as a premier gathering of diverse and talented swimmers.

One of the highlights of the Championships was the remarkable number of short course records broken. Over the four days, a total of 304 records were shattered, including an impressive 80 Australian records, 200 Queensland records, and records from Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales, demonstrating the exceptional level of competition present.

MSQ also celebrates the achievements of its multi-class swimmers. This is the first MSQ State Championships to include awards for male and female multi-class Swimmers of the Meet. MSQ is thrilled to establish these awards to recognise Masters MC swimmer accomplishments and we hope to pave the way for others to support diversity in our sport.

MSQ expresses its gratitude to the Brisbane Southside Masters and Redlands Bayside Masters for providing a significant number of volunteers, including filling the key roles of Volunteer Coordinator and Meet Emcee. Thank you as well for organising exciting raffles each day, adding to the festive atmosphere of the event.

Participants also had the opportunity to create custom merchandise items as mementos from the Fine Designs Event Apparel shop, adding to the memorable experience of the Championships.

A big thank you to Geoff for his daily availability to engrave the medals for our swimmers at the MSQ State Championships. We are grateful for Geoff’s hard work and contribution to making this event a memorable experience for all involved.

Thank you also to our MSQ Photographers, Gary Brinkman and Richard Sanderson, for beautifully capturing the essence of the Championships. Photos will be posted to the MSQ Facebook Page in the coming weeks, so check them out here.

After the races concluded on Sunday, participants and attendees gathered for a relaxing Presentation Function in the Aquatic Lounge, where they enjoyed refreshments, caught up with friends, and celebrated the achievements of the event. Wonderful entertainment was provided by Jason Dean of the Barbarian Masters Swim Club, whose performance of his original “Ballad of the 200 Fly” was a highlight of the afternoon.

Awards were presented to the following outstanding swimmers:

  • Male MSQ Swimmer of the Meet: John McKaig (Townsville Aquaholics)
  • Female MSQ Swimmer of the Meet: Nola Macaulay (TSA Masters)
  • Male MSQ Multi-class Swimmer of the Meet: Mick Schuddinh (Miami Masters)
  • Female MSQ Multi-class Swimmer of the Meet: Chelsea Stebbing (Brisbane Southside Masters)
  • Jenny Mack Trophy (Highest combined WA points for 100m and 200m Breaststroke events): Aaron Cleland (Blacktown City Masters)
  • Margaret Cunningham Award (Highest WA points for 200 IM): Kady Ibell (TSA Masters)

Club Awards presented:

  • Mary Maina Trophy (Highest Ave Points – Small Club, 4-10 swimmers): Brisbane Northside Masters
  • Max Gillespie Trophy (Highest Ave Points – Large Club, 11+ swimmers): TSA Masters
  • George Corones Trophy (Highest Club Points): Miami Masters

In addition to these awards, annual MSQ Awards were presented:

  • MSQ Official of the Year 2023: Michele Burley-Jones (Miami Masters)
  • MSQ Volunteer of the Year 2023: Colette Southam (Miami Masters)
  • MSQ Coach of the Year 2023: Ron Rhodes (Brisbane Southside Masters)

Some fun facts about this meet:

  • This is the first MSQ State Championships to provide sprint events for males and females.
  • The 40-44 and 60-64 age groups boasted the most female athletes, with 25 competitors each. However, the 60-64 age group entered more events than their younger counterparts.
  • The 50-54 age group featured the most male athletes, with 21 competitors.
  • The oldest female competitor was 87-year-old Barbara Pearce from Marion Masters, from South Australia, while the oldest male competitor was 96-year-old China Johnson of Cotton Tree Masters, from the Sunshine Coast.
  • The youngest female competitor was 20-year-old Emmily Lingard of Hervey Bay Humpbacks, while the youngest male competitor was 19-year-old Hamish Harty of Ipswich Grammar Masters.
  • The most popular event among female competitors was the 50m freestyle, with 105 swimmers participating.
  • Similarly, the most popular event among male competitors was the 50m freestyle, with 104 swimmers participating.
  • The least popular events were the 400m and 800m butterfly, each with only one heat each – every one of those competitors deserves an applause!
  • This may have been the first swim meet where the Chief Marshals included Nemo, Joker, Shark and Squid!

To all officials, meet recorders, participants, supporters, and volunteers, thank you once again for your enthusiasm and commitment to making this event a resounding success. We hope you enjoyed your time with us, and we look forward to welcoming you back for future events, as we continue the tradition of friendship and excellence in Masters swimming in Queensland.

Results:

The full Meet Program, results and statistics from the 2024 MSQ State Short Course Championships are available here.