Mibus’ improvement rewarded

30 January 2010

PHIL HOLMES

HAMILTON’S Eliza Mibus has been awarded with the Country Swimmers Achievers Award after an impressive campaign at the Country Long Course Championships in Warrnambool at the weekend.

The prestigious award, which goes to a male and female at the state long course event each year, goes to developing 12 to 17-year-old swimmers that are competing in at least their second Country Long Course Championships, and have made significant progress in the previous 12 months.

Past winners of the award are Portland’s Paige Olejniczak (2005) and Laura Becirevic (2006). Mibus adds to a long list of very talent swimmers.

She was honoured, and shocked, to have won the award.

“I was just sitting there talking at the presentations and my name was called out. I couldn’t believe I’d won such an award,” Mibus said.

“It’s a great honour.”

Representing the Warrnambool Swimming Club for the past 18 months, Mibus won three long course medals, while breaking some personal best times along the way.

The 13-year-old won bronze in the 100m breastroke under-13s event, and was a part of the freestyle relay team and medley relay team, winning silver in both events.

Her improved results from previous events was what brought Mibus into contention for the award.

Overall, on top of her medal winning results, Mibus came fourth in the individual medley, seventh in the 100m freestyle, ninth in the backstroke and 12th in the 100m butterfly.

The talented swimmer topped her best places in each event from the year before, with the individual medley being the biggest change having come 24th last year.

Her proud mum Kate Mibus said there was a lot of hard work going into her swimming and that it was great to see solid results because of it.

“The early mornings have probably been tough at times, for both of us (laughs), but it is just great to see Eliza come home with three medals,” she said.

“I’m very proud of her achievements, and to get the achievers award was just the icing on the cake. She’s a very deserving winner.

Waking up at 4am for six days of a week and travelling to Warrnambool has been the regular regime for Eliza and Kate and the latter said it was the toughest part of her gruelling, but rewarding, regime.

“It’s hard getting up so early, but by the end of training I’m pretty good,” she said.

“The sessions pretty much go for an hour and a half and my coach has me doing a fair bit of work, but it’s all worth it as I just want to improve.”

Improve, she has. Mibus’ next big meet is in March at the Tasmanian Titles, where she hopes to again improve on her times from Warrnambool.