Darwin Swimmer Excels at the Australian Open Water Swimming Championships.
Wednesday March 4, 2009
Rachel McLean from Darwin has won a silver medal at the Australian Open Water Swimming Championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
Darwin-based Rachel was proud of winning second place in the girls 17-18 years 5km event in 1hr 1min and 5 sec.
"I'm pretty happy with the silver medal," McLean told the Northern Territory News.
And McLean was also came seventh in the Open category in 59min and 24 sec after 24-year-old Queenslander Kate Brookes-Peterson.
"I would have liked to have gone under the hour but the race was a lot different to what I'm used to," McLean told the report about aiming for a time under 58min.
"I just haven't had the experience of the other girls. Like at the start, I sort of lost it a bit," Darwin's McLean said.
"And the girl that I was pretty much swimming with the whole way was pretty tough. She just kept pushing me out into the reeds.
"They have a lot of different tactics and the last time I raced in the Territory there was not really anyone up there with me."
Despite this, Australian open water coach Greg Towel took interest in her performance.
"After the race he had a chat with me and my coach and got my number and email address and said he would give me a call," McLean from Darwin said.
"He said I came out of nowhere pretty much and they didn't expect it."
