Young swimmer clocking remarkable times 'down under'

The Malta Olympic Committee and local sports organisations are always on the look-out for potential sporting talent away from our shores.

These past few years, athletes with Maltese ancestry, like Tanya Blake, Simon Gerada, Michael Fiteni and Dianne Desira, not to mention rugby players, have competed for the country despite residing elsewhere.

Most of them live up to their billing and produce medal-winning performances, particularly in the Games of the Small States of Europe. Perhaps, Rebecca Adams could be the one to follow in their footsteps.

Adams, a 13-year-old swimmer, is a member of the Western Sydney Academy of Sport. She is registered with the Ripples Club at St Mary's.

A few weeks ago Adams was in the news after winning a silver medal in the Australian National Age Championships which were held in Brisbane.

Adams, whose grandparents hail from San Giljan, was second in the 200m butterfly event.

She swam a fast time of 2:23.67. No doubt, a remarkable achievement for a young sportswoman who only took up swimming three years ago after opting for pool sessions to try something different from jogging on the track.

"It was better than I expected. I knew I could win a medal but I did not expect a silver," she was quoted as saying in a Sydney newspaper report.

"The butterfly stroke is hard work but that's why I like it."

Adams' 200m 'fly time in the National Age Championships would have landed her a bronze medal had she competed in the Andorra GSSE this month.

Malta's top butterfly swimmer Angela Galea won gold in 2:21.99 at the Serradells Pool. San Marino's Simona Muccioli was second in 2:22.75. The third place went to Maria Papadopoulou, of Cyprus, in 2:25.64.

In a short interview with the Hawkesbury Courier, Adams said her next aim is to make the Pan Pacific School Games. These will be held in Melbourne in five months' time.

Her mother Lorraine said her daughter takes the sport seriously.

"She trains very hard and loves to do it... I guess that's the difference," she told reporters.

In April, Adams also established a new state school 100m butterfly record, beating the old mark which had survived for eight years.

She swam the two-lap distance in 1:05.58 during a race at Homebush.

At the time, it is not known whether Adams holds dual citizenship or not.

However, her distant Maltese parentage could qualify her to obtain that status in future.

Now, it is up to our sports authorities to follow her progress and establish new contacts that could lead Adams to swim for Malta one day without having to give away the chance to don the Australian colours.