Sixty races in the Dunstan zone swimming sports, featuring more than a hundred youngsters, led to passionate cheering in Cromwell yesterday (Wednesday June 14).

The swimming sports included freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, a 100 metre individual medley and team relays.

Dunstan zone schools Alexandra Primary School, Clyde School, Cromwell College, Cromwell Primary, Goldfields Primary School, Poolburn School, Millers Flat, Roxburgh Area School, and The Terrace School took part.

The winners in year five to eight races from the Dunstan zone go on to swim in the Central Otago Swimming Championships on June 27 in Wānaka. 

Participating students from years four to eight swam in multiple heats, finals, medley and team events throughout the day. 

Year fours are included in the Dunstan zone swimming sports to experience the pathway to a higher level of competition in a safe and fun environment with their fellow students. 

The success of the day is due to many parent and teacher volunteers who assisted with timekeeping, monitoring strokes, recording results, marshalling, and transport.

The days heats began at 9.30am and swimming finished up at approximately 1pm. 

Watch year four girls backstroke heat here.

Central Otago Primary School Sports Association (COPSSA) is the organisation responsible for overseeing the core sports of athletics, cross country, orienteering, swimming and triathlon for its 27 member primary schools within the Central.

COPSSA’s boundaries are Makarora in the North, Ranfurly in the East, Millers Flat in the South and Glenorchy in the West, and includes Queenstown, Frankton, Arrowtown, Cromwell, Wānaka, Hāwea, Tarras, Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh, Omakau and Poolburn areas.