On Saturday 6 April, 10 Columba students (5 students from the junior school and 5 Year 7and 8 students) competed at the Otago Primary Schools Championship. 

Representing the Junior school were Lydia Hortop-Blair, Alice Jefferies, Juliet Lyall, Lachlan Russell  and Ailie Somerville. The Junior school swimmers competed very well with lots of personal best times. The junior relay team (Lachlan, Juliet, Ailie, Alice) placed 4th in the 10yr olds freestyle relay. An impressive result, especially since two of them are only 8 years old! Alice Jefferies (8) also swam an impressive PB to place 2nd in the girls 9 and under 50m freestyle final. 

Our Year 7 and 8 swimmers Clara Peniamina, Anya Rhodes, Lila Rhodes, Charli Sinclair and Eva Zoghbi. Again we saw lots of great personal best swims. The relay teams placed well gaining 3rd place in the 12yr olds freestyle relay and 4th in the Year 7 and 8 freestyle relay (Anya, Lila, Charli, Clara), and 2nd in the Year 7 and 8 medley relay (Charli, Eva, Clara, Anya). Three of them also made it into finals. Charli swam in the 11 yr old girls 50m freestyle final, Eva swam in the 12 and over girls 50m breaststroke final, and Clara made all three finals for 12 and over girls. Clara came 2nd in the 50m freestyle final and 1st in the 50m breaststroke final (setting a new Otago Primary School Championship record for breaststroke).

Well done to all of the swimmers. Thank you to Senior students Jordan Summers and Ana Tarapi for assisting the swimmers.