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Photo by TGC

Swimming Superstar Keira Allott Smashes National Record

Ella Mitchell —

Tauranga Girls’ College swimmer Keira Allott has broken the national record for 1500m freestyle in the 16 year old age category with a time of 16.33.67 minutes - smashing the previous record of 16.53.19 minutes by a whopping 20 seconds.

“I was absolutely stoked and couldn’t believe it. I thought it was all a dream!”

The record, which has stood since 2002, was no match for Keira who has been competitively swimming for four years. Training eleven times per week, both in the pool and at the gym, it’s no wonder Keira was able to take out the competition at the BOP Showdown in July. Keira swims with Evolution Aquatics Tauranga, a local team that helps young athletes to reach their swimming goals.

“I was determined before the race and was so happy when I found out that I broke the record.”

Keira’s goal is to compete at the Olympics and travel in order to compete internationally and inspire other young swimmers. Already, her success inspires others within the Tauranga Girls’ College community, as she embodies the school values of Mana Motuhake (pride) and Mahi Tahi (participation). We wish Keira all the best with her swimming career, and can’t wait to see her standing atop an Olympic podium in the years to come!

Ella Mitchell