Late last month, PLHS Year 8 student Beau Hood competed in the Secondary School Sport SA Swimming Championships at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Oaklands Park. Beau was the only student from our school to qualify for the Eyre Peninsula and Upper North team; as the only regional team in the tough A Grade division, our squad competed strongly against a host of prestigious metropolitan schools (some with swimmers who already boast Australian qualifying times).
Although Beau did not win any of his events, he came 4th in his 50m freestyle race, missing out on a podium place by a heart-breaking one-hundredth of a second. He also achieved personal best times in each of his three individual events (50m backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle), and in two 4x50m freestyle relays.
In doing so, Beau added a swag of points towards the team’s overall placing – the EP/UN squad finished a highly commendable sixth (out of eleven A Grade teams). He also achieved state short course qualifying times; accordingly, Beau will now head to Adelaide to represent the West Coast Swimming Club at the State Short Course Swimming Championships (July 9-13th).
We congratulate Beau and his family on these wonderful accomplishments and wish him well for the July short course carnival.
