Marni picks up the first Jewish medal in six years
MARNI Burger became the first Jewish swimmer to win a medal at National Age Championships in six years when she won a silver medal in the under-16 100m freestyle race on Monday night.
JOSHUA LEVI
MARNI Burger became the first Jewish swimmer to win a medal at National Age Championships in six years when she won a silver medal in the under-16 100m freestyle race on Monday night.
The 16-year-old said it was a tough race because it was less than an hour after she failed to fire in her pet event.
“I has just swum really badly in the 200m butterfly final, where I finished eighth, but I was able to use that for the 100m freestyle race,” Burger said.
She swam nearly two seconds slower in the final than she did in the preliminary arounds in the 200m butterfly race.
“I had to let go of the first race and just put on a brave face and swim my best, which was good enough for silver.
“I swam 0.2 seconds over my best time but it was good to win a medal.”
Burger said the result came as a complete surprise.
“It was a bit of a shock because this is my biggest results, medalling at the national age championships. I was in lane two for the final and the winner was in lane four but I couldn’t see her.I just saw the girl next to me and I wanted to beat her.
“When the race finished I looked up at the board at fifth and sixth place but didn’t see my name so I looked down lower and then I realised that I was up the top in second.”
In the under-16 50m freestyle event, Burger finished equal fifth after she touched the wall at exactly the same time as Charlo Muttdon in a time of 26.90 seconds — 0.74 seconds behind winner Mariah Jones.
And the result is reward for sacrifice, with Burger telling The AJN she “trained nine sessions a week for two hours each session”.
“I get up most mornings at 4.45 and then I train for two hours, go to school, then go back to training afterwards.
“Because this meet was during school holidays it was even easier to focus just on swimming.”
Burger now hopes to be selected for one of the Australian youth teams that will be chosen from the event and one, hopefully, reach her ultimate goal.
“If I keep working and I keep improving then I can make the Olympics one day I hope. Not in London at the next olympics, but there is no reason why I can’t make the Games after.”