A Laois student has achieved a new personal best (PB) to win a silver medal for Ireland on the international stage.
Portlaoise College’s Yifei Li delivered an impressive performance as part of Team Ireland at a recent junior swimming competition held in Lisbon, Portugal.
Yifei represented Ireland in three events, winning her silver medal in the 400m freestyle.
She achieve a new PB by a massive three seconds in the heats that secured a place in the final.
Incredibly, Yifei went on to improve her time by a further five seconds in a truly incredible final performance where she finished in second place.
Yifei also competed in the 200m freestyle, where she placed 24th, and in the the 50m event, where the Laois student set another record.
Among a field of 115 swimmers, Yifei finished 27th, making her the youngest competitor in the 50m freestyle’s top 30.
The second-year student has a remarkable swimming career behind her already, having secured gold in the 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle, and 200m individual medley at the latest Leinster Schools Swimming Championships.
Yifei is one of only ten girls selected for Ireland’s junior team and stayed with her teammates in the team hotel in Lisbon.
Her success comes as a result of a demanding training schedule, with her mother, Shaoyong, playing a key role in supporting her through early morning sessions, including many a 4am-drive to the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin.
Yifei is a member of the hugely successful Laois Marlins swim team and when not training in Dublin can be seen before dawn with her clubmates in Portlaoise Leisure Centre.
Not only is she a champion swimmer but Yifei also represents Leinster in basketball and is a competitive Irish dancer.
Noel Daly, Principal of Portlaoise College, commended Yifei’s dedication, stating: “Her hard work and determination are truly commendable.
“She is a credit to herself, her family, and the school. We are extremely proud of her achievements.”
With her recent performances, Yifei remains on track to qualify for the Junior Olympics, marking another significant milestone in her promising swimming career.
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