Cleo Whiley loves to swim.
Her dedication and commitment has seen her break records and set personal best times in 2024.
At the Condobolin Public School Swimming Carnival on Wednesday, 14 February, Cleo set five new records in the pool.
She set a new record in the 50 metre freestyle, breaking the old time by 3.81 seconds. Cleo’s new time is 34.03 seconds. The old record was held by Emma Crook since 2003.
The second record to fall was the 50 metre backstroke, where Cleo broke the record by 4.05 seconds, to set a new time of 44.58 seconds. The old record was held by Peta Jamieson since 2004.
In the 50 metre Butterfly, she smashed the old record by 11.84 seconds. Cleo set a time of 44.85 seconds in this race. The old record was held by Laura Sealey in 2003.
When it came to the 100 metre freestyle event, Cleo once eclipsed the record, swimming the race in 1.18.75. She bettered the record by 2.46 seconds. The old record was held by Ebony Davis since 2006.
Not content with the sprint races, Cleo took on the 200 metre senior girls individual medley, obliterating the record by 16.53 seconds. The old record was 3.42.72 – Cleo’s new time is 3.26.19. The old record was held by Lucy McFadyen since 2023.
This meant Cleo claimed first place in six events – 100 metre freestyle, 50 metre freestyle, 50 metre backstroke, 50 metre breaststroke, 50 metre butterfly and the 200 metre medley.
Cleo was recognised for her achievements at the Condobolin Public School Swimming Carnival Presentation Assembly on Monday, 19 February where she was named 11 Years Girl Champion.
Not content with local competitions, Cleo travelled to Sydney to compete at the 2024 NSW Country Championships recently.
She gave it her all and came away with all new personal best times. She was a finalist in the 50 metre freestyle, 50 metre butterfly and 100 metre butterfly, and narrowly missed out on finals in other strokes. Times were so close in some races only one second separated first and tenth place.
Her final results were seventh in 100 metre butterfly with a time of 1.28.12; ninth in 50 metre butterfly in a time of 36.94; 10th in 50 metre freestyle in a time of 33.06; 11th – 50 metre backstroke in a time of 41.15; 12th in 100 metre freestyle in a time of 1.17.08.