The club’s just won the Colin Walker Memorial Shield at the Colin Walker Memorial Meet for the first time since 2022 — 138 swimmers competed from 14 Otago/Southland clubs.
And, Mark Lauko, 14, recently won a gold, two silvers and three bronzes at the South Island champs in Blenheim.
The meet is named after stalwart Queenstown and Otago swimming administrator Colin Walker, who died 10 years ago.
Meanwhile, the club’s success coincides with the return of Romanian-born Albert Szilagyi, who was formerly head coach between 2015 and 2021 before a stint in Australia.
He holds a Bachelor of Sports Science in swimming and is a bronze-accredited swim coach with Swimming New Zealand.
"I’m excited to be back with such a dedicated and energetic club," he says.
"Watching swimmers grow in skill and confidence is why I love this job."
While Szilagyi’s focus remains on nurturing young swimmers, he’s also introduced masters and open sessions for adults. These cater for everyone from beginners through to triathletes and open water swimmers training for national-level events.
