Olivia Making Waves at 12 – National Gold and Beyond!

We were delighted to learn that during the summer holidays Olivia Q in Year 8 at MGGS qualified for the Swim England National Championships which is the biggest event of the year for her age group where the top 20 swimmers in the country per event are selected. She swam in the 12/13 age category as one of only a handful of 12 year olds to qualify. She narrowly missed the final (top 10) in both the 50 breaststroke (11th) and 100 breaststroke (13th), however, she made the final of the 200m breaststroke and went on to win gold against 9 to 13 year olds.  

Olivia has been selected again for the Swim England talent pathway and is also supported by Active Kent and Medway FANS (Free Access for National Sportspeople) scheme as a national champion in her sport. 

This season Olivia also qualified for Senior Regional Short Course Championships earlier this month (which is an open age group, with qualifying times aimed at older swimmers). She placed 13th and 15th junior (16 and under) in the 200m breaststroke by taking 3 seconds off her PB, and 100m breaststroke respectively. This event was a feeder event for the National Winter Short Course Championships in December in Sheffield. The junior qualifying times are set for 16 year olds and under.

At just 12 years old, Olivia stands as the youngest competitor to qualify for this national competition, promising a valuable experience for her burgeoning swimming career.

Congratulations once again, Olivia! We look forward to hearing more about your future achievements.