KINROSS super fish Oliver McLaughlin is officially the fastest boy under the age of 13 in the NSW Primary School Sports Association after collecting gold at Homebush in the 50 metre backstroke final.
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Cruising to a personal best (PB) time and first place in the qualifying swim, the 12-year-old was overcome with nerves ahead of the final, but put aside any poolside butterflies to storm home over the final 25 metres and claim gold in the final, clocking a new PB of 32.89 seconds - shaving 0.01 off his previous best.
The year six student said the build up to the final was almost too much - almost.
“I had quite a while to rest (after qualifying for the final),” McLaughlin said.
“And I did a couple of laps warm up to prepare for the finals ... I felt really prepared for the final, but when I went down (to the pool) I was feeling really, really nervous.
“Right before I was diving in I was almost crying with nerves with my goggles on.”
But the competitive streak in the Kinross Wolaroi student fired him home.
And with two of his good swimming friends swimming in lanes next to his plush lane four spot, McLaughlin wasn’t about to let either Allambie Heights student Tyler Krenkels and fellow Combined Independent Schools student Harrison Williams, of Central Coast Grammar School, beat him to the wall.
“The race was very difficult,” he continued, with Krenkels half-a-body length in front of McLaughlin with 20 metres to go.
“I started not being able to feel anything and kicking and pulling as fast as I possibly could, I was relieved that at the 10-metre mark I was getting in front of (Krenkels). I did manage to beat him and did a .01 second PB.
“Harrison and Tyler, they really spurred me on.
“I was happy to see another good friend of mine come fourth, and he’s going to the swim-offs in May.”
McLaughlin will now compete against high school students who are also 12 years old for the right to swim at the Nationals in Adelaide.
A top four place against the best the high school swimmers of the same age will ensure the Kinross gun progresses.