After months of training and gruelling laps in the pool, Gunnedah has a new Australian swimming champion in 11-year-old Molly Ramien, with team mate Lexie Whitton winning a silver medal in the 12 years 50m freestyle.
Molly’s Australian title came in the hard-fought 100m backstroke event against competitors from all over Australia.
She then went on to win a silver in the 50m backstroke and clinch another gold medal as part of the NSW 4x50m medley relay team swimming the backstroke leg.
The youngster rounded off a successful few days of swimming at Sydney Olympic Park with a nail-biting fourth place in the 200m individual medley and a top 10 finish in the 100m freestyle final.
Lexie Whitton also faced tough competition nailing two more silver medals as part of the 12 years 4x50m NSW freestyle relay team and the 4x50m medley relay team where she swam a blistering time in the freestyle leg.
Lexie topped off her Australian championships with top 10 placings in the 200m freestyle final (8th), 100m backstroke final (10th) and 100m freestyle final (7th).
The St Xavier’s students exceeded all expectations at the School Sport Australia Championships, where they performed admirably under the watchful eye of coach John Hickey and a cheer squad in the gallery.
They also caught up with NSW team manager Tony Kokegei, a former Gunnedah swimming coach and teacher at St Xavier’s School, who now lives on the mid-north coast.
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