Redhill School swimmer makes history at Fina World Junior Champs
Jessica Thompson gave it her all at the recent Fina World Junior Championships, walking away with not only a continental junior record but also scoring a bronze medal for the medley relay.
Redhill School’s Jessica Thompson has made history after nabbing a bronze medal and also destroying an African record at this year’s Fina World Junior Championships.
The Grade 9 learner broke the continental 50m butterfly stroke record in addition to being part of Team South Africa’s 4x100m mixed medley team that scored a bronze finish.
The 8th edition of the championship took place in Peru earlier this month.
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“Surreal! Standing up on that podium I had a burst of different emotions I didn’t know whether to laugh, shout for joy or cry. A sense of pride overtook me looking at Team SA in the corner cheering us on.”
According to Jessica all of her preparation, both in and out of the pool, was worth it because she was more than happy with her performance at the tournament – her first ever international swim meet.
“My first individual event of the gala was my main event, the 50m butterfly. I swam a lifetime best and managed to break the African junior record by 0,40s. Later on, in the evening I progressed to the semi-finals.”
She’s of the opinion that 50m events are among the hardest to master because even though they are short, a lot of planning goes into them.
“From trying to get the fastest reaction speed off the blocks to touching the wall on a full stroke, even the angles you enter and break out of the water. Too many or one breath in the wrong place could decide whether you make a final or not. You have to plan every stroke,” Jessica said.
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She added that achieving the bronze medal has only made her hungrier for more.
“My biggest takeaway from this gala was definitely to live in the moment and to fully take in the experience. Realizing how grateful you should be for every moment spent in the pool with people that have more experience around you.
“This was definitely the best opportunity I was presented with and I wanted to make the most of every second.”
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