SupaNova Synchronised Swimming Club members Celeste Johns and Thirsa van Amersfoort.
Camera IconSupaNova Synchronised Swimming Club members Celeste Johns and Thirsa van Amersfoort. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Synchronised swimming success for SupaNova duo

Aaron CorlettMelville Gazette

NOT even a last-minute change of venue for trials in their bid to represent Australia on the world stage could faze Myaree teenager Celeste Johns and her synchronised swimming clubmate Thirsa van Amersfoort.

The two SupaNova Synchronised Swimming Club members will travel to Canada in August for the 2020 FINA World Junior Artistic Swimming Championships.

Bushfires forced national trials to be moved from the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra to the Gold Coast at the last minute, providing extra nerves for the duo from the LesiureFit Booragoon-based club.

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Celeste (17) said even though their team manager took care of the logistics of the hasty move, the change wasn’t without stress.

“Usually we stay at the AIS but we had to be billeted out to families in the Gold Coast, so that was a bit unusual for us,” she said.

“The trials went for two days and they tested our endurance and technique.

“The preparation for the trials included training about 24 hours per week, whether that was on land or endurance or technique in the water.

“We are both with the State high performance team so we do training sessions with them at HBF Stadium as well.”

While Celeste previously represented Australia at the 2018 edition of the championships in Budpest it will be the first time for 16-year-old Thirsa.

“It’s the biggest competition I’ve ever competed in and it’s an honour to represent Australia,” Thirsa said.

Celeste said among the difficulties of competing at the championships was a less relaxed vibe to the competition.

“It’s so official in the way things are run and it’s a bit nerve-wracking when you remember it is being shown on TV,” she said.

“I had someone come up to me and ask for my autograph at the 2018 championships, even though they didn’t know who I was.”

A number of training camps are planned in the lead-up to the championships.