Why youngster Athena has bright future

Athena Diamantidis is a girl on a mission.

Despite being only nine years old, what the Kenyan-Greek swimming sensation from Braeburn Garden Estate School has achieved is beyond her age.

The youngster caught the eye of everyone during the Kenya Aquatics National Junior Championships in Kisumu last weekend when she broke the national swimming record in the 100m freestyle.

The young prodigy powered her way to an impressive haul of six gold medals and one silver medal. Her stellar performance culminated in her being awarded the prestigious Most Valuable Player Trophy for her age group.

Athena shattered the 100m freestyle record with a blistering time of 1:14.90. This achievement comes just three weeks after she dominated the Nairobi County Inter-Club Championships, where she broke a long-standing county record in the same discipline with a time of 1:17.15 (eclipsing the 2006 record of 1:18.89).

"Athena is an inspiration to her peers and to the entire Braeburn community," lauded her Head Teacher, Van Niekerk. "Her unwavering determination, laser focus, and graceful presence both in and out of the water are truly exceptional."

According to her teachers, Athena's dedication to the sport sees her training five to six times a week, dedicating approximately three hours each day to honing her skills.

Despite her rigorous schedule, she maintains a balanced routine that prioritises sleep, free time, and her educational pursuits, ensuring she also has ample opportunity to simply enjoy being a child and spending time with her friends.