SOUTHPORT STUDENT SWIMS UP A STORM
SOUTHPORT swimmer Madeleine McTernan had her first taste of international competition in Cairns last week in the Australian Development Squad at the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships.
The 17-year-old Aquinas College student, who swims for TSS Aquatics at Southport, was invited to swim heats in the development squad at the competition in Cairns.
The development squad gives up-and-coming swim stars the chance to race in heats to gain experience.
But Maddie’s parents, Ally and Paul McTernan, were shocked to see their daughter and her relay team actually beat the Aussie and Japanese team in the heats.
“Maddie was on the third leg and caught the national swimmer, and they went on to beat them which was just amazing,” said Mr McTernan.
“We watched it livestreamed and we had a bit of a tear and choked up. We are so proud of her.’
“She has such a promising future,” Mrs McTernan said.
Maddie recently swam in Hobart at the Schools Sport National Championships where she won eight gold medals, an individual silver medal and two relay medals.