Trio score swimming success
• North-East girls celebrating their swimming success: Ava Blundstone, Tilly Johnston and Gracie Hirst.
By Taylor Clyne
March 17, 2021
Three North-East girls are taking the pool by storm with huge success at the State Sprint and Relay Championships and the State Swimming Championships.
Eleven year old’s Tilly Johnston, Gracie Hirst and Ava Blundstone won an impressive gold medal in the 200m freestyle relay following it up with another gold in the 200m medley relay.
Tilly also won gold in the 50m butterfly, gold in the 50m backstroke and silver in the 50m freestyle.
Gracie gained bronze in the 50m freestyle and silver in the 50m breaststroke.
Rebecca Blundstone said the girls all made qualifying times for national level at the State Sprint and Relay Championships.
“They are smashing out the state league, it’s great to see,” she said.
“Based off their times they would have been going to Brisbane for the all schools event later this year but unfortunately it was cancelled due to Covid uncertainty.
“This event was a lead up to the State Swimming Championships which was held in Hobart over the weekend.”
Here it was Ava who made a name for herself securing a silver in the girls 100m freestyle in a time of one minute ten seconds and a bronze in the girls 200m freestyle in two minutes 32 seconds.
“It was the second time Ava had ever swum in the 200m event, she just scraped in with the qualifying times to compete in the event, so it was really exciting when she placed in the final.”
The competition was held against many Tasmanian and Victorian counterparts with the competition fierce across all races.
“All three girls are really enjoying their time in the pool and having a lot of fun competing, we look forward to seeing where their talents take them.”
The trio will now look to the regionals which will be held on March 28 in Launceston.