Claudia Neale from Glenbrook is a young swim star in the making.
The 15-year-old recently returned from a NSW Emerging Talent Squad training camp on the Central Coast, for the best 13 to 18-year-old swimmers in the state.
Her inclusion in the squad was based on a strong performance at the Australian Age Swimming Championships in April, and then selection in development squads.
At the camp Claudia was exposed to new training sets, different coaching styles and was pushed to her limit working with the best athletes in the state, as well as with nutritionists and physiotherapists to ensure her body is in peak condition.
After the intense five-day training, there was no rest for the teen who went straight to the NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships. This was to test “how we handle getting smashed before a carnival,” Claudia said.
And handle it she did. She recorded a PB in every event and won the 100m freestyle, plus silver in the 50m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m freestyle.
Claudia now turns her attention to the State Age Short Course Championships in Sydney from August 25-27 where she hopes to make the state team in her favoured events: 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle. To make the cut she needs a first or second place, and competing against girls in her age bracket who are more than a year older isn’t easy.
“There are some pretty fast 16 year olds and some really good girls,” Claudia said.
Nine months ago Claudia switched from Glenbrook Swimming Club, to train with Leanne Speechley at Pymble Ladies College. She’s up at 3.30am weekdays to travel into Sydney for two hours of training to be back in time for the start of the school day at Blaxland High.