MOUNT Gambier competitive swimmer Jordy Martin has continued to dominate in the pool, with a golden run to kick off his year.
The 12-year-old had an impressive January, with 23 gold medals from three of the most prestigious swimming championships in South Australia.
Martin’s haul started early last month with the SA Open Water Championships at Glenelg.
At the event he took out first place in the 12 and Under 2.5km swim in extremely hard conditions, which included swells, rough water and jellyfish.
He then travelled on to Port Pirie mid January for the SA Country Championships.
Martin won 12 gold medals and broke a country record in the 12 year old boys 200-metre individual medley, which he then broke again later that month.
It was a tough start to the third event, as he attended the SA State Long Course Championships at Marion.
The youngster suffered heat stroke in Wallaroo and was almost hospitalised before the competition.
However, that did not deter Martin’s performance and he returned home with 10 individual gold medals.
He also broke his previous record for the 200 metre individual medley.
Across the heats and finals Martin had a total of 26 personal best times, with gold medals in the 100 and 50 metre backstroke, 200,100 and 50 metre butterfly, 400,200, 100 and 50 metre freestyle and the 200m IM.
Events included up to 40 male swimmers in his age group, from both South Australian and interstate, while Martin finished equal fourth in the men overall for the entire championships, with a total of 102 points.
Training under Colin Smith, the lead up to the events was intense, with up to nine sessions a week in the 25-metre pool, topped off with three crossfit sessions and open water training in the Glenelg River.
On weekends, Martin trains with his club in the Adelaide Hills.
Currently in Year 7 at St Martins Lutheran College, Martin is training hard to secure a qualifying time so he can go to nationals in 2020 when he turns 14.
