Swimming stars’ sensational success

JUNIOR swimming sensations Jordan Hazan and Benno Negri have set the pool alight at the 2014 Victorian Age Championships, picking up 15 medals between them following several superb performances at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Hazan, who competes in the under-13 age group, stood on the dais eight times after winning three gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

The Melbourne Vicentre swimmer smashed his personal best in the 200 backstroke to win the event in a time of 2:16.51, before recording narrow victories in the 100m backstroke and 400m individual medley in 1:04.12 and 4:55.98 respectively.

His times in the three events earned him automatic qualification into the Australia Age Championships in Sydney in April next year.

Hazan then placed second in the 800m freestyle behind one of his teammates by seven seconds, before featuring in the 4x50m medley relay team that finished runner-up.

He rounded out the results with bronze medals in the 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly

Meanwhile, Negri topped the under-15 age group on five occasions after standout swims in the 50m freestyle, which he powered home to win; the 100m freestyle, which saw him touch the wall first in 52.08 seconds; the 200m freestyle, which he secured on the final stroke of the race; the 100m backstroke, which saw him finish first by over a second; and the 200m backstroke, which he triumphed in by less than three-hundredths of a second.

The MLC Aquatic ace also won silver in the 200m individual medley in 2:11.86, before placing third in the 100m butterfly by just more than two seconds.

Negri will also be looking to take his impeccable form into the national champs next year.

AJN STAFF