The Breen Construction Oamaru Swim Meet made a big splash at the Waitaki Aquatic Centre on 10–11 October, delivering two days of short-course racing, excitement, and smiles. It gave athletes a fantastic opportunity to test their skills, build confidence, and celebrate their progress in the pool.

Athletes achieved personal bests throughout the weekend, reflecting the hard work and dedication they put into their training. Whether stepping onto the blocks for the first time or adding another meet to their experience, swimmers had plenty to be proud of. Congratulations to everyone who took part and made it such an enjoyable weekend of racing!

The Big Save Furniture Big Bash was a standout addition to this year's programme, bringing plenty of excitement to the pool deck. The fastest six female and six male swimmers in each of two age groups went head-to-head in a thrilling four-round, skins-style battle.

Congratulations to our winners:

• 12 Years and Under: Toby Dougherty (Swim Timaru) and Hattie Olsen-Vetland (South Otago Sharks)
• 13 Years and Over: Arlee Williamson (Swim Timaru) and Scarlett Jones (Oamaru Swim Club)

Well done to all the athletes who qualified and took on the challenge!

👉 Check out the results here.

The weekend also brought an achievement worth celebrating beyond the racing. Congratulations to Ryan Stringer (Oamaru), who successfully passed his Judge of Stroke (JOS) assessment.

Technical officials play an essential role in ensuring competitions are fair, safe and run in accordance with Swimming New Zealand rules. Ryan's achievement strengthens our officiating team and shows how people can keep contributing to the sport beyond the pool.

We're always keen to welcome new technical officials and volunteers. Becoming an official is a rewarding way to support swimmers, stay involved in the sport and help swimming thrive across our region. To find out more, visit the Swimming Otago website or email admin@swimotago.org.

Swimming Otago sincerely thanks everyone who helped make the Breen Construction Oamaru Swim Meet a success. A special thank you to the Oamaru Swim Club committee, technical officials, timekeepers, volunteers, coaches, families and generous sponsors for their time, commitment and support.

Your collective efforts created a welcoming, exciting environment for our athletes to learn, compete, and celebrate their achievements. We look forward to seeing everyone back on the pool deck soon!

👉 Click here to view the photos

👀 Looking for your next racing opportunity? Don't miss the Kiwi Challenge on 24-25 October 2026; entries close on Thursday, 15 October, at 11:59pm. Get your entries in now!

🤔 Interested in becoming a Technical Official? Check out our web page here, email us at admin@swimotago.org or tap a shoulder at the next competition – we would love to hear from you!

Article added: Tuesday, 13 October 2026