Jimboomba State School athlete Sienna Jones, 10, has been selected in the Queensland School Sports State aquathlon squad after placing sixth in the regional trials.
During the November trial, Jones competed against 23 girls in a one kilometre run, a 200m open water swim, followed by another one kilometre run.
She placed in the top ten, which will now allow her to compete at the state championships – held at Hervey Bay during a two day event in February.
Jones will compete in the combined 11 and 12-years girls age group.
I want to get to as close to the top as I can in the state.
- Sienna Jones
Jones said she had a few nerves about trying out a new sport.
“I hadn’t really trained for it so I thought I might not do very well,” she said.
“So I was pretty happy when I came out with sixth place.
“I normally train for swimming and a little bit for running, but I’m going to have to do a lot more training now.”
Jones trains up to six days a week in the pool and is also a junior life saver.
“I think nippers has given me the edge because I’m a confident in open water,” she said.
While the transition of the sports was a little challenging for Jones’ first aquathlon, she is excited to see how the state championships go.
“I’m definitely going to be practicing putting my shoes on and off,” she said.
“I want to get to as close to the top as I can in the state.
“I want to just be the best I can be and I think swimming will be my strongest point.”
Sports Coordinator Paul Ball said only a handful of students had given the aquathlon a go.
“Sienna is a great runner and swimmer so it was great to see her in there having a go at a combination sport,” he said.
“She will do really well out there at the state competition.”
Jones will now work on a shoulder injury to ensure a peak performance for the state championships in February.
