Golden run for teenage swimmer
TOWNSVILLE super fish Nala Iosefo has followed up on four gold medals at the Queensland state championships last December to claim two golds at the nationals in Adelaide.
The 13-year-old was part of a team of four swimmers from the Gardens Swimming Club that went to the Adelaide event this month.
But after touching the wall to win the final in her 200m fly with a time of 2.22s and smashing her personal best by another three seconds, she was disappointed by her time.
“I was hoping to do a 2.20s,” Iosefo said.
In the 200m heats Iosefo had already taken three seconds of her PB.
Coach Garry Hanson was happy with how his swimmers performed on the national stage.
“They all did very well and PBS were there,” Hanson said.
“Their technique, their drill work and stroke work was great and Nala of course got the gold in the 100m and 200m fly.” He said Iosefo swam to the plan.
“She swam exactly to plan because, I have coached her for 2 ½ years, and my program is that if you train for nationals then that is what you train for.
“She did everything to plan and swam the exact times that we expected her to do.
“Nala won four gold in the state championships last De
THERE IS A LOT OF TALENT HERE IN TOWNSVILLE BUT THEY JUST HAVE GOT TO BE COACHED PROPERLY
GARRY HANSON
cember and now she has carried on with two gold at the nationals and next we are training for the state short course titles in August.
“We are looking at nationals again next year in Perth and then hopefully the Commonwealth Games when they come around.”
He said Townsville had a wealth of swimming talent.
“There is a lot of talent here in Townsville but they just have got to be coached properly.”
Iosefo said she was not surprised to win two gold medals.
“Garry kept telling me to believe in what I can do and the body will do it.”