Young swimmer excels at championships

Golden West Dolphins Swimming Club eight-year-old rocket Ella Larkman shot through the water to win the first State Championship gold in the club’s history.

The Australind swimmer won the 50m breaststroke at the WA Hancock Prospecting Junior Long Course State Swimming Championships.

At HBF Stadium in Perth from April 13 to 15, more than 550 swimmers took to the water, with Ella also claiming fourth in the 100m breaststroke.

Ella’s mum Katrina Larkman said Ella started competitive swimming following her sister and had taken to it straight away.

“She started because she was sitting there all day watching her big sister swim,” she said.

“She just picked it up and loves swimming and everything really.”

Larkman said she had been competing only for a year but had swum in competitions across WA and was ranked 7th in her age group in Australia.

“She can swim all four strokes competitively but breaststroke is her favourite,” she said.

Ella has also raced in the Country Pennants in Kalgoorlie and in a few weeks will make the trip to compete in Geraldton.

At the club’s awards night at the Leschenault Pavilion on May 5, Ella was awarded the Outstanding Junior Dolphin for the Year.

“Ella trains all year round, three nights per week and loves her swimming,” Larkham said.

“She sets her standards high and works hard to achieve her goals.

“We are super proud and ecstatic that she won her gold medal to become the State champion and we can see how far she has come in such a short time.”