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| Kiah
MELVERTON |
| Sport |
Open Water Swimming |
| NOC |
Australia
|
| Gender | Women |
| Born | 05 Nov 1996
in Southport, AUS |
| Height | 1.73 m |
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Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Gold Coast, QLD, AUS |
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
St Peters Western: Brisbane, QLD, AUS |
Further Personal Information |
Higher education |
Exercise Science - Griffith University: Brisbane, QLD, AUS |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Going to the beach, music, going out for breakfast. (swimming.org.au, 10 Apr 2018) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning bronze in the 800m freestyle at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. (swimming.org.au, 10 Apr 2018) |
Other sports |
She has also competed in open water swimming at international level, and finished tied for seventh in the 5km event at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Feb 2021) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
"One year I qualified for nationals in the 800 free but decided not to go because I wanted to compete at Aussies [Australian surf life saving championships] instead. The next year I was like, 'Hang on, I'm actually a half decent swimmer, maybe I should give swimming a crack'. That's when surf faded out and swimming took over." |
General Interest |
Most influential person in career |
Coach Christ Nesbit. (The Physical Performance Show podcast, 23 Apr 2017) |
Hero / Idol |
Australian swimmer Tracey Wickham. (The Physical Performance Show podcast, 23 Apr 2017) |
Ambitions |
To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (theinnersanctum.com.au, 19 Aug 2021) |
Sport Specific Information |
Training Regime |
She has 10 swim sessions a week. "They're usually like two and a half hours. I rarely go 70km a week these days [speaking in 2021], I used to do a lot more when I was younger. We've kind of pulled it back a bit as I focus a bit more on my speed stuff. I'd usually hover between 60 and 65km a week. I'm in the gym three times a week. It ends up being a pretty big training week but when you're a distance swimmer that's just how it is." |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began pool swimming to maintain her fitness for surf life saving as a member of the Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park Surf Life Saving Club in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. She began swimming competitively at age 16. |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete |
Languages |
English |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Killer [Her coach said she had a "killer instinct" because she wouldn't let people swim over the top of her in training]. (Australian Dolphins Swim Team YouTube channel, 01 Apr 2020) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts." (LinkedIn profile, 01 Jan 2019) |
Other information |
OPEN WATER SWIMMING
She has competed in open water swimming and won the 5km event at the Australian championships in 2017. "I definitely wasn't expecting to win [the Australian championship title], but knew I had a chance. Open water is something I've always done, just as part of training or whenever there's state or nationals, I've got in and given it a good crack. When I came out a minute faster than some of the other girls I was so shocked, I didn't see that coming at all. I've always been a better endurance athlete, that just kind of comes naturally to me, unfortunately. I wish I was a sprinter, I wish I could get away with doing the 100m freestyle or something." (theinnersanctum.com.au, 15 Aug 2021; The Physical Performance Show podcast, 23 Apr 2017; swimming.org.au, 01 Jan 2017)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She has volunteered as a swim coach at TSS Aquatic club in Southport, QLD, Australia. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Jan 2019) |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Partner Connor O'Neill |
Olympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 6 |
2021 |
Tokyo, JPN |
1500m Freestyle |
16:00.36 |
| 6 |
2021 |
Tokyo, JPN |
800m Freestyle |
8:22.25 |
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 7 |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
800m Freestyle |
8:29.35 |
| Heats |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
400m Individual Medley |
4:53.82 |
| Heats |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
400m Freestyle |
4:10.61 |
| 3 |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:51.41 |
| Heats |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
400m Individual Medley |
4:41.96 |
| 1 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:37.50 |
| 2 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
800m Freestyle |
8:18.77 |
| 7 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
400m Freestyle |
4:05.62 |
| 2 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:43.86 |
| 7 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
1500m Freestyle |
16:01.38 |
| 7 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
800m Freestyle |
8:25.07 |
| Heats |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
400m Freestyle |
4:09.56 |
| 1 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
|
World Championships Short Course |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 3 |
2016 |
Windsor, ON, CAN |
800m Freestyle |
8:16.51 |
| 13 |
2016 |
Windsor, ON, CAN |
400m Freestyle |
4:06.51 |
| 4 |
2016 |
Windsor, ON, CAN |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:40.00 |
World Cup |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2019 |
Tokyo, JPN |
400m Freestyle |
4:06.71 |
| 7 |
2019 |
Tokyo, JPN |
400m Individual Medley |
4:45.78 |
| 1 |
2019 |
Tokyo, JPN |
800m Freestyle |
8:22.24 |
| 3 |
2016 |
Singapore, SGP |
800m Freestyle |
8:24.16 |
| 5 |
2016 |
Singapore, SGP |
400m Freestyle |
4:10.92 |
| 4 |
2016 |
Singapore, SGP |
400m Individual Medley |
4:46.54 |
| 6 |
2016 |
Tokyo, JPN |
800m Freestyle |
8:27.12 |
| 6 |
2016 |
Tokyo, JPN |
400m Freestyle |
4:07.39 |
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 7 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
5km |
59:27.5 |
| 4 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
5km - Team Relay |
54:42.9 |
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