THIS week, top local swimmers Leah King and Andrew Fisher take to the water at Homebush as part of the Australian Age Championships.
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The Great Lakes College students have competed at the national championships for the last three years, and both aim to make the finals in their events; Leah in the 100m and 200m breastroke and Andrew in the 50m and 100m freestyle. They will be taking on the best young swimmers in Australia in the pool in their events, which are staged throughout the week.
It has been a tough road for 16-year-old Andrew to the final, with a slow comeback from a serious back injury. Coach Peter Sanders from the Forster Aquatic Swimming Club said Andrew, who was sixth fastest in the Nationals team last year in the 50m freestyle, had recovered to perform extremely well in the pool last week, which was encouraging for his appearance at the national competition.
Peter has trained both Leah and Andrew for many years and said Leah had been training exceptionally well.
“She is beginning to see the results from all her hard work,” he said.
“Leah is improving year by year as she gains racing experience.”
The pair have spent the last eight weeks in a specialised speed cycle phase of training and Peter said they were seeing the rewards of that now.
The swimmers proved their form in the lead-up to the top tier competition, securing places in the All Schools Nationals with silver medals in their pet events at the Combined High Schools carnival at Homebush last Monday. Andrew finished second in the 50m freestyle and Leah touched second in the 100m breastroke. The All Schools will be held on May 5 at Homebush.
With the national competitions soon behind them, Leah and Andrew can have a well-earned break – of a couple of weeks at least – before getting back into training.