TWO schoolmates who team up for Warrnambool Swimming Club are striving to notch national championship times. Emmanuel College duo Jake Denaro and Jack Stonehouse, both 14, are hoping to make a splash during the 2023-24 season. They were recognised at the Barwon Southwest Swimming Association district awards on Sunday, October 8 for their performances across the 2022-23 campaign. Denaro, now competing in the 14-15 age group, won the 12-13 boys' section with teammate Stonehouse, who has also moved up a grade, runner-up. Stonehouse was also awarded the Herb Jeffery Encouragement Award. The Victorian long course state championships in Melbourne in December and the Australian championships in April are major goals for the pair. They have qualified for the state meeting and can still add other times between now and the competition in two months' time while both are trying to make nationals for the first time. Denaro focuses on the sprint distances which require dedication to shave times. "I'll start with my state times and achieve that and then hopefully get the 50m backstroke for nationals and possibly 50m free and 50m fly as well," he said of his goals. "I have been improving a lot since I first started with them. But, especially with the 50s, there's not a lot of room to improve or (make an) error." Stonehouse, who is "more of a sprinter than a long distance swimmer", trains up to eight times a week and hopes that commitment will pay off. "I am trying to chase national (times) for the 50m backstroke," he said. "I am 0.3 seconds off that." Denaro is working his way back into peak form after playing in the Hampden football league under 14 grand final for North Warrnambool Eagles in late August. "I am starting with three to four (sessions) a week and working towards that six to seven sessions," he said. Denaro said he only had to look at Stonehouse to see how more sessions in the water helped. "With Jack it's been the volume and intensity of training that's picked up throughout the years," he said. "It started with the two to three casual (sessions) and it's built up to the six to eight. He's improved a lot over the past six months as well." Stonehouse said Denaro's versatility was his biggest strength. "Jake's really good at everything except breaststroke. He's improved a lot from where he began and has been doing pretty good lately," he said. Other Warrnambool swimmers were also honoured at the Barwon Southwest Swimming Association awards with Eamonn McCarthy (16 and over boys), Jude de Silva-Smith (14-15 boys) and Jade King (14-15 girls) winning their age groups. Zoe Davis was runner-up in the 12-13 girls' age group and Jake Burleigh won the Hitchcock Shield for freestyle. Warrnambool Swimming Club collected the Don and Pat Sainter Trophy awarded to the club with the highest aggregate score at the district championships and the Bob Carmichael Trophy awarded to the club which improved results by the highest percentage from the previous year. The club also had competitors compete at the Australian Country Swimming Championships in Darwin earlier this month. Burleigh, Stonehouse, Gemma Bond, Shelby Gristede all won medals at the competition. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: