JASI swimmers Laura Biddiscombe and Jarryd Drummond have overcome the handicaps imposed by the Christchurch earthquake in style by winning gold medals at Moana Pool this week.
Biddiscombe (17) has won two gold medals and Drummond (16) three on the first two days of the New Zealand age group, division two, championships.
They are stars of the coach Peter Burgon's 10-strong Jasi squad that has won 12 medals - five gold, six silver and one bronze - on the first two days of the championships.
It is a remarkable performance because the Jasi club has had to share pool space at the Jellie Park Pool with the QE2 club that lost its pool at QE2 Park in the earthquakeBiddiscombe, a pupil at Burnside High School, migrated to New Zealand from the county of Somerset in England 10 months ago.
She won her first New Zealand titles in the girls aged 16 to 18 100m breaststroke (1min 20.46sec) and 200m individual medley (2min 32.91sec).
Biddiscombe swam a personal best time by 6sec in the 200m individual medley and by 1sec in the 100m breaststroke.
Standing on the podium and receiving the gold medals was special.
"I'm stoked," she said. "It got the adrenaline pumping and makes me feel great."
It was also a first for Drummond, a pupil at St Thomas of Canterbury College, when he stood at the top of the podium at national championships for the first time.
He won his gold medals in the boy's aged 16 to 18 in the 50m butterfly (28.30sec), 400m freestyle (4min 27.59sec) and 100m backstroke (1min 05.04sec).
Drummond had personal best times in all three events, his standout performance being a 7sec improvement in the 400m freestyle.
"I'm amazed and excited about it," he said. "It makes me want to go on with my swimming."
Drummond also collected a silver medal in the relay and a bronze medal in the 100m individual medley.
