Griffith swimmers dominate UniSport Nationals competition

Emma McKeon Photo - Nina Beilby, Swimming NSW
Emma McKeon OAM (Photo - Nina Beilby, Swimming NSW)

Griffith University has ruled the pool at the UniSport Nationals swimming event in Sydney, finishing first in the combined team rankings at the end of the three-day meet.

Griffith swimmers topped the table with 585 points, well ahead of University of Technology Sydney (406) and Bond University (366).

In all, 36 UniSport records fell at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, including both the Women’s 50 and 100 metre Butterfly, won by Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal winner Emma McKeon (Bachelor of Public Health student, Griffith Swimming Club) and a new UniSport record in the Men’s 200 metre Butterfly by Rio Olympian David Morgan.

Emma also came home second in the Women’s 100 metre freestyle, beating the previous UniSport record time.

Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist Kiah Melverton (Bachelor of Exercise Science) clocked in a new UniSport record in the Women’s 400 metre freestyle and Cameron McEvoy (Bachelor of Science (Advanced Honours)) came in under the previous UniSport record time with third in the Men’s 100m freestyle.

Despite coming fifth in the Men’s 400 metre freestyle Josh Parrish still managed to smash the previous UniSport record.

Griffith’s mens’ team were outright winners, while the womens’ team were second only to Bond University by just four points.

Head Swimming Coach for Griffith Sports College Michael Bohl says it was a fantastic result and great to see Griffith swimmers bonding together at the event.

“This is the first UniSport meet I’ve gone to and it was terrific to see some really spirited racing on display.

“The UniSport competition is also a great way for our top swimmers to practice relay changeovers because we don’t get that opportunity when we go to nationals usually.

“We are four weeks out from World Championship trials, so it is the last occasion these swimmers will have for head to head racing before that.”

Sixteen swimmers officially represented Griffith at the meet.