International Success For Local Swimming Champ

Amanda Drennan goes from strength to strength

By Andrew Pomeroy - 16th January 2003 - Back to News

From strength to strength is how locals describe the amazing achievements of local swimming talent, Amanda Drennan, member of the Edison Mission Energy Gippsland Academy of Sport Sunicrust Swimming Program.

Recently returning from the Third IPC Worlds swimming meet in Argentina, the local Gippsland athlete came home with a number of personal bests and top five placing’s. The three-week meet saw Amanda compete with twenty-six other Australian athletes as part of the Paralympic Team.

Success was certainly on the agenda of this young swimmer who gained a first in medley relay (Australia beat Canada in this event for the first time), a second in 100m freestyle relay, fourth in backstroke (only 4/100th of a second off third placing) and overall Amanda achieved seven personal bests from a total of nine swims.

"It was a fantastic experience, lots of fun and I was able to meet lots of other swimmers from around the world," she commented.

With only a two week rest period, Amanda returned home and was back in the pool competing in Melbourne at the Victorian State Championships where she continued her string of success gaining, one gold, two silver, three bronze, achieved four Commonwealth records in the 14 year age group and to top it all off broke her own world record in the 50metre backstroke.

To celebrate and gain recognition for all her hard work Amanda was awarded the Open Age Disability Swimmer Award which was presented to her at Melbourne Aquatic Centre last Sunday.

A dedicated athlete, Amanda is currently undergoing training sessions in preparation for the Nationals, to be held in Sydney in March 2003. The Nationals are the official trials for placement in the Canadian Nationals where she hopes to gain a place.

Following the Nationals this unstoppable swimmer will travel to Adelaide and compete in the Disabled Junior Nationals and then will look forward to a well deserved rest.

At only fourteen years of age her achievements are a credit to her and her dedication to her chosen sport, admirable.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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