Talented swimmer tragically takes his own life aged 15 as swimming community prepares to make incredible act for beloved athlete

The family and friends of a teenager who tragically committed suicide are hosting a charity event in his honor.

Lachlan Ricchini died on February 4 this year at the age of 15, in news that shocked the Geelong swimming community.

The Ricchini family are well known in the Victorian swimming community, with Lachlan being a prodigious talent, while his brother Cameron was the club captain at Geelong.

The city’s swimming club will host the first annual ‘Laps for Lachie’ at the Kardinia Aquatic Center next Sunday from 10.30am, an extension of the Laps for Life initiative in which Lachlan took part last year.

The event aims to raise awareness and help prevent suicide among young people.

The ‘Laps for Lachie’ initiative aims to raise $40,000 and the community is well on its way to achieving that goal, having already generated over $38,000.

Geelong Swimming Club president Tim Woods said Lachlan’s death had a huge impact on the community.

“It has a huge impact,” he told the Geelong Advertiser.

‘Swimming may be a relatively big sport but it is still part of the total community and the threads of life of people weave their way through and around us and now Lachie’s loss is felt very deeply throughout the community including the swimming community.

‘He loved swimming and what better way to honor and commemorate him appropriately than with a swimming activity.

“That’s why the community is coming together to do that, and why there has been such an outpouring of genuine fear and sadness. And a huge amount of effort is also being put into raising much-needed money to prevent suicide among young people.”

Lachie liked to wear bright clothes and the guests at his funeral wore colorful clothes.

There will also be colored swimming caps for sale at the event, where entry is free.

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