By Luke Voogt
Newtown 11-year-old Ava Senjov has clocked up 1.8 kilometres – and counting – in a nationwide “swim to save lives”.
Ava has swum since she was six-months-old, and is now putting her freestyle technique to good use in the Laps for Life challenge.
She completed 800 metres in an hour in her first swim alone, and is chasing a goal of 3km for March in both 25 and 50 metre pools.
She has so far raised almost $700 for youth mental health charity ReachOut, exceeding her initial goal of $300.
“My aunty Leah suggested it to me,” she said.
“I thought it was a good cause and I wanted to challenge myself.”
Leah teaches at St Joseph’s Secondary College, which tragically lost students to suicide last year.
“We talk about that stuff with her,” Ava’s dad Mark said.
“Ava was very aware of that so she wanted to raise some money for mental health.”
To donate: lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/avasenjov/laps-for-life. For help phone Lifeline on 13 11 44.
