NUSwim competitors take confidence from record-breaking efforts

The trio, pictured, are just on different timelines.

Hendy, 23, has his sights set on qualifying this year for Paris while Mounter, 16, and Samokhin, 12, are looking further into the future.

All three have taken confidence from producing record-breaking efforts at the NSW Country Swimming Championships, held at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from February 16 to 18. Their efforts helped NUSwim Swim Club claim the overall combined team pointscore.

Samokhin was named male swimmer of the meet after setting NSW Country records in the 12-years boys 50-metre freestyle, 50m butterfly and 200m freestyle.

He finished the carnival with eight gold medals and one silver. His next target is qualifying for the Australian schools championships.

Hendy, who comes from New Zealand but is a dual citizen and wants to represent Australia at the Olympics this year, broke records in the 17-years-and-over men's 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke events.

The freestyle record had been held since 2016 by Olympian Matthew Abood, who competed at the Rio de Janeiro Games that same year.

"To break that record mid-season has put me in a good position for qualifying for the Olympics," Hendy said.

To do so, he will need to hit 21 seconds.

Hendy said his unofficial PB was 22.8 but and believes he has a 21 in him.

"I went to the last trials for a bit of experience but I reckon this is the one where I make the team," Hendy said.

Hendy will compete at the Australian titles and Oceania championships on the Gold Coast in April before the Australian Swimming trials in Brisbane in June.

Mounter broke NSW Country records in the 16-years girls 100m and 200m breaststroke.

She is now aiming to make the Australian team for the Junior Pan Pacs in Canberra in August with a strong performance at the national championships on the Gold Coast in April.

"That's my big goal this season and then I have Olympic trials coming up in June, so I'm just trying to get experience from that going into the next few years of my training," Mounter said.

Hunter Swim Club's Reece Caddy set a new NSW Country record in the 17-years-and-over men's 100m butterfly.