Milla makes a splash in Melbourne
The 16-year-old is going places in the swimming world.
Milla Drakopoulos (16) ended 2022 with a big splash.
Her relay team consisting of Emily Visagie, Rebecca Meder and Caitlin de Lange broke three African records at the FINA World Short Course held in Melbourne in December. This was the second time she represented South Africa on the world stage.
The South African women’s team set new records for: 4 x100m medley, 4 x100m freestyle relay and the 4 x50m freestyle relay.
World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competitions in water sports.
Milla, formerly of Shelly Beach, who was in Grade 10 at St John’s Diocesan School for Girls in Pietermaritzburg last year, was awarded her Honours blazer at her school’s final assembly last month.
Earlier in 2022, Milla competed in the FINA Swimming World Cup in Berlin where she swam personal bests in all her events.
Having just turned 16, Milla was competing against girls aged 17 and under.
She made the semi-final in 100m freestyle and placed 13th in the world in a time of 58.04. She also made the final in the 50m backstroke, where she came fifth in the world in a time of 29.00 seconds, just 0,49 seconds off the gold medal! This is a new South African U16 record.
Milla also represented South Africa in two relay finals, where the team finished eighth in the 4x100m medley relay and fourth in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
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