The Hunter River Times

BY ALEX TIGANI

Singleton swimmer Quin Neyland has qualified for the School Sports Australia Swimming Championships to be held in late August.

The St Catherine’s Catholic College student collected a gold medal from last month’s NSW PSSA Swimming Championships when competing in the open girls 100 freestyle.

Neyland, who trains several mornings each week, recorded a time of 1:03.21 to hold off Gunnedah’s gallant Alexis Whitton (1:03.21).

Prominent swimmer Lexi Mulcahy finished third with a time of 1:04.15, adding two her two gold medals for backstroke.

As a result, her name will now be permanently etched onto the Bill Findlay Perpetual Trophy along with the previous winners of the 100m girls freestyle dating back to 1971.

“It was like a reward for all of the hard work,” Neyland told The Hunter River Times.

“I would not be here without my family and coaches. “Mum who drives me and dad who works and my sisters who would drown me and always beat me when we trained together.

“I also want to thank my first coach Melisa that taught me to love swimming, my new coaches Ben and Sam who are so funny and always push me to be the best I can be and Hayley, my friend’s mum, who loves all this more than anyone.”

She also finished third in the Girls 12 years 50m freestyle with a time of 29.46, a whisker behind Sydney’s Charlotte Lim (28.35) and Whitton (28.90).

She also finished fifth in the 50m backstroke and eighth in the 50m butterfly.

Prior to the NSW PSSA Swimming Championships, she had already claimed medals for NSW in separate title events.

However her focus remains on her rigorous training regime.

The youngster wakes up at 4am to be at the pool by 5am three times per week, freeing up her afternoons for her other sporting commitments.

Some of the other girls preparing for nationals train eight to ten times per week which means she will now increase her training to five times per week.

“I think even now it is not about the medals but the hard work,” Quin continued.

“Getting up at 4am and swimming two hours before school deserves a medal or at least McDonald’s every morning.”

This year’s School Sports Australia Swimming Championships will also be held at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from August 25-29 for 10-12 Years and August 21-26 for 13-19 Years.

“I want to win another gold in the 100m freestyle but even if I don’t make the final I will be happy, I just love to get on the blocks and race,” she concluded.