IN her first competitive race since returning from a 12-month break from swimming, Grace Bannon returned to the pool in style at Sydney Olympic Park last weekend.
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The teenager touched the wall first in a gold-medal performance in the 100-metre breaststroke final.
The St Columba Anglican School student surprised everyone - herself included - in an impressive performance.
"I was ranked third so I didn't think I was going to win it, but the training has paid off for sure since I've come back," she said.
"What helped was that I had my mind set on trying to touch the wall as fast as I could.
"Not having the stress of having to get a national time, which is what I got, is a bonus on top of the medal."
Bannon admitted she was focused on a strong swim and the training she had done since her return had paid off.
"As soon as I dived into the pool I had my game face on straight away," she said.
"I've trained as hard as I could so I went out as strong as I could, came home harder and then tried to hold on for the whole 100."
It wasn't without a struggle in the closing stages.
"It was a struggle with the fitness side of it and I wouldn't say it was easy, but it wasn't as hard as I remember it, that's for sure," she said.
Bannon admitted the stress of trying to balance school and swimming was the main reason behind her decision to have a 12-month layoff.
"It got too much with school work," she said.
But in the end she realised she missed being around the pool and her friends.
"The main reason I came back was because of my friends," she said.
"I missed all of them; it was that swimming was a part where I could get away from school and get away from everything at home and come here and enjoy myself.
"But I know if I want to make it to a high level I have to do over six sessions a week so I had to have a break and get my head back into it."
The 16-year-old will now focus on the national titles in April while balancing her Higher School Certificate studies.
"The plan is to do nationals but I'll take it a week at a time," she said.
"School for me is my priority, but this (swimming) gets my mind off it."
Meanwhile, Port Macquarie's mixed girls relay team finished with a bronze medal.
The team of Phoebe Bentley, Mathilda King, Hayley Kable and Sarah Kendall touched the wall third behind West Illawarra and the Hunter.
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