Eaglesvale Primary swam to victory in the Irvines Friendly Inter-schools swimming gala, held on their home turf on Friday afternoon.

The competition, which saw the participation of Twin Rivers, Sharon, Heritage, Westridge, Barwick and the host Eaglesvale, was tightly contested, with the winning team only a point ahead of second placed Sharon. Third place went to Westridge, while fourth, fifth and sixth were taken by Heritage, Twin Rivers and Barwick respectively.

Eaglesvale coach Terrence Bendito says: “We are happy that we won, considering that we have not beaten these guys in years.” He said the victory was a pointer in the right direction ahead of the division two inter-schools to be held this coming Friday.

“These are the same guys we are going to compete against so we just hope to carry over the victory. I know they are very competitive and our victory will not come on a silver platter, but we will still aim for it,” said Bendito.

The competition had up to 60 races in different categories including butterfly, backstroke, freestyle, breaststroke and relays for both girls and boys of different age groups. Irvines sponsored medals and eggs for winners, while Pools and Pump Centre gave away vouchers for different equipment.

Pools and Pump Centre marketing manager Shadreck Gurimhete explains: “The concept of friendly galas nurtures young talent while boosting their confidence for bigger competitions.” The company has been partnering with various schools and institutions to organise swimming competitions.