Seaford Secondary College student Allegra Crean nominated for 2024 School Sports Award

One of SA’s most promising young swimmers has been nominated for an SA School Sports Award after an impressive year in the pool. See how to nominate here.

One of SA’s most promising young swimmers has the chance to win a major award after an impressive year in the pool.

15-year-old Seaford Secondary College student Allegra Crean is among the state’s top young talents and has been nominated for the individual secondary section of The Advertiser, Sunday Mail and Department for Education School Sports Awards for 2024.

Crean said she was proud to be nominated.

“It feels like a great achievement and it shows that my hard work is paying off,” she said.

“To win would be something I would be very proud of because I have worked very hard to get to where I am now.”

Recently selected to SASI’s swimming talent identification program, Crean’s hard work paid dividends through 2023 and 2024.

Allegra Crean has been nominated for a School Sports Award. Picture: Supplied

Crean competed in and won bronze at the Australian Age Swimming Championships and was also the youngest South Australian selected for Olympic qualifiers at the Australian Swimming Trials.

She also competed in nine events at this year’s Australian Short Course Championships.

“Swimming at the Australian Age Championships and Australiam Swimming Trials was an amazing experience that not only allowed me to race against the fastest swimmers my age but also the fastest swimmers in Australia,” she said.

“In benefited me because it forced me to race faster and push myself harder in training so that I can better myself.

“I enjoy pushing myself to the limit during training so that I can get the most out of myself … I’m focused on improving my technique and skills, including starts, turns and underwater work, so that I can get the little things correct before developing my speed.”

Crean at the Australian Swimming Trials in Brisbane. Picture: Supplied

While a School Sports Award would cap off a strong season for Crean, she looks set for more major successes in the near and long term future.

She hoped to continue improving and competing against the very best.

“In the short term I want to improve my skills, especially turns when I’m racing – I would like to make them quicker and more efficient.

“My long term goal is to make an Australian junior team as this will give me the opportunity to compete against some of the fastest swimmers in the world.”

The School Sports Awards are the joint initiative of The Advertiser, Sunday Mail and Department for Education.

There are three major awards in 2024 – individual competitors, individual student officials, and teams, with female and male and primary and secondary categories all included.

Enrolled primary or secondary students between the ages of 10-18 are eligible.

Nominate by Sunday, November 3 at this link.