Jessica’s big splash in Perth

By Marc McGowan
IT WAS a case of second time lucky for Narre Warren swimmer Jessica Li in Perth this month.
The Grade 6 Mary MacKillop Primary School student won the 11-year-old girls’ 50m backstroke in her second attempt at the School Sport Australia championships.
Li, 11, was part of the Victorian 10-year-old girls’ 4 x 100m medley relay team that won bronze at the national event last year.
But she booked an individual swim this time around when she finished second in the 50m backstroke at the Victorian Primary School Sports Association Swimming Championships in April.
State team-mate Annie Pepper beat Li in that race, but the latter reversed the result in Perth to touch the wall five hundredths of a second before second-placed Pepper.
Another bronze medal in the 4 x 100m medley relay capped a career-best meet for Li.
“The competition was pretty close and competitive,” she said.
“Everyone was supporting each other and there was no letting down. Even though you were from a different state, people still encouraged each other.”
Li’s father, Filipe, travelled to Perth with his daughter and she found this year’s experience much easier after knowing what to expect.
The Kings Swimming Club member is now aiming to make a big splash at the Victorian Long Course Championships in January.
Li made the 100m backstroke final at this year’s instalment and is keen to do so again next year.
“I feel more confident with 100s than 50s,” she said.
“I’m ranked in the top 10 for the 100m backstroke, so I’m hoping to do well.”
Li has increased her weekly training sessions to six during the school holidays, but will return to her usual four once school resumes.
She is unsure how much she will be able to commit to the sport once she starts at St Margaret’s School in Berwick next year.
“Now we don’t have much homework, but when I go to high school I’ll have more, so I’ll have to cut down on my swimming sessions,” Li said.