Swimming: Dedicated swimmer lands country sponsorship

Since seriously hitting the pool seven years ago, local swimmer Alex Griffiths has landed a Department of Sport and Recreation Smarter than Smoking country sport scholarship.

The 12-month scholarship provides opportunities for talented regional-based athletes to access training, competitions, development camps, coaches, and facilities to improve performance and strive to represent WA and Australia.

The 15-year-old Georgiana Molloy Anglican School student, who swam in Bunbury each week because the facilities better catered for his 50m freestyle specialty, had to meet a range of performance and preparation requirements.

“You have to be training six times a week and do three gym sessions to qualify,” he said.

He also met criteria by being selected for a Swimming WA development squad, achieving eight State qualification times and participating in national titles.