Jemma Phillips’ amazing improvement in the past four months culminated with a bronze medal in the 100-metre backstroke at the Victorian Long Course Swimming Championships last week.
By Marc McGowan
BERWICK super fish Jemma Phillips completed her meteoric rise in the pool by winning a bronze medal in the 12-year-old girls’ 100-metre backstroke at last week’s Victorian Long Course Swimming Championships.
Jemma was taught to swim at Kings Swim Centre in Narre Warren, but has become yet another success story for Casey Tiger Sharks’ head coach Ben Hiddlestone since joining his squad 18 months ago.
“Jemma has been training with (the club’s) national squad for the past four months, and has put in a lot of hard work,” Hiddlestone said.
“She has a lot of talent, and the extra training has unleashed that potential.”
Jemma finished 40th in her age group in the same event last year, but since stepping up to the tougher training regime, where she swims alongside others up to 22 years old, her standing in the sport has risen sharply. She now swims sessions before and after school up to seven times a week.
Jemma was confident of her prospects heading into the Victorian titles, but not to the point that she thought she could land a medal.
“I thought I might come top 10. I didn’t expect to come third,” said Jemma, whose 10-year-old sister Chloe also swims with the Tiger Sharks.
“I was pretty happy. I train more times a week (since moving into the national squad), and the training sessions are longer and harder.
“When I first moved up I found it really hard, but I’ve caught up a little bit since then.”
Hard work is nothing new to Jemma.
She was named dux of grade six at Beaconhills College in Berwick last year – an effort that has Hiddlestone describing her as a rare talent.
“You need to have the right kid walk in the door,” he said. “They obviously need to be able to handle the workload, be smart enough to make technical changes, and they need to have a good, strong character, which comes from the family.
“Jemma has all of that, and to be the dux of her year at school, she just has the whole package.”
Jemma’s parents, Sharon and Brent, are equally as proud of their daughter.
“The hard work has paid off, and we are really excited for her,” Sharon said. “She has improved a lot, and a large part of that is moving up into the higher squad, where she has received a lot of support from Ben.”
Jemma’s thrill at winning a medal was increased as fellow Tiger Shark and her best friend Alexandra Weston finished in fourth place.
“She’s not in my squad, but it helps having her in the race,” Jemma said. “We are close friends, and I guess there is a bit of a rivalry!”
Jemma swam 1:13.05 in the event, which puts her just a second off the national qualifying mark.
It gives her roughly three months to slash the required time before the National Long Course Swimming Championships in Perth in April.
“I just want to take it step by step and just keep improving my stroke to see how fast I can go,” Jemma said.
