Ironbark’s swimming champion breaks record in national debut

In her national swimming championship debut, Ironbark Ridge Primary School’s Suzanna Andrews bagged more gold medals for her trophy cabinet and set a blistering new record along the way.

Suzanna Andrews travelled to the School Sports Australia Swimming Championships in Melbourne to successfully compete against Australia’s best 10-year-olds. Picture: Angelo Velardo

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Suzanna Andrews has taken the title of champion and has lived by its virtues.

The Year 5 Ironbark Ridge Primary School student has returned from a blisteringly successful debut swimming School Sports Australia Championship in Melbourne, clutching medals and securing a new national record under her name.

“We all tuned in online and when we saw she was going to win gold right at the end, there was just jubilation," said deputy principal Kerry De Jager.

“We are just bursting with pride.”

Suzanna has never ceased to impress her teachers in balancing her classroom duties while competing at an elite level. Picture: Angelo Velardo

The humble swimmer from Baulkham Hills’ Hills Swimming and Lifesaving Club competed in five finals, and won the girls’ 10-year-old 100m backstroke gold, 100m freestyle silver and 4x50m freestyle relay gold, in which her squad set the new record time of 2:03.40 - more than five seconds clear from the next team behind them.

While sport does not call for false starts, getting in the pool to compete could not have come soon enough for the eager Kenthurst athlete.

The school’s swimming carnival organiser, Judy Paton, said a NSW Department of Education ruling prevents students from competing until they turn 8.

It was a hard pill to swallow for Suzanna who has been swimming from the age of 4, but one that fed her motivation to torpedo through the ranks once she got in the water.

Suzanna was modest about her success but said it made her happy knowing she had so much support from the school. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“When she was finally allowed to compete, I think she just about broke every record,” Mrs Paton said.

For Suzanna, who also competes in national gymnastics and soccer, swimming has been a simple joy that’s taught her the values of competitive sportsmanship with the help of her coach Tracey.

“I wanted to beat my siblings because they’re all older and used to fight over who is faster, plus I wanted to beat all the boys,” she said.

“I always just like to stretch and say good luck to all the people around me and then just focus on my swimming and the race I’m about to do.”

She said her swim coach of six years, Tracey

And to quell her nerves, wishing her fellow swimmers well before breathing deeply always calms her down and keeps her ground before and after races.

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