Whakatāne swimmers Zandre Herbst and Chloe Gladwin have added to the Whakatāne Swimming Club’s growing list of achievements, winning medals at the Age Group Championships in Hawke’s Bay.

The pair collected a total of nine medals across five days of competition, with Chloe claiming eight of them.

With swimming being a year-round sport, both athletes were pleased with their performances, though they admit balancing training with school can be challenging.

“Training has been okay, but it’s not always easy. An outdoor education tramp had me out of the water for four days, so when I came back, I only had a week of training before Nationals. Having said that, I do feel like I’ve improved,” said Zandre.

For him, motivation comes from racing against others rather than the clock.

“I want to compete in the New Zealand champs so I can improve my qualifying times and compete in the New Zealand Short Course Championships in October.”

For Chloe, times are secondary. She describes herself as competitive, but in a more personal way.

“I don’t focus on times when racing, I focus on my skills and getting things right, and hope the results follow. I don’t usually focus on the competition unless there’s a particular person I want to beat,” she said.

With four to five major meets scheduled each year, alongside numerous smaller events, the pair maintain a busy training schedule. For Chloe, the focus now shifts to the Virtus Games in Thailand in November.

With the Whakatāne Swimming Club’s trophy cabinet already brimming, the pair look set to contribute even more silverware in the future.