RUBY Thorne is ready for the next chapter of her swimming career as the talented butterfly specialist joins the Presbyterian Ladies College Crydon team on a scholarship this year.
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Thorne, 12, swam her last event with the Coonamble Swim Club on Sunday when she took part in the Bathurst Swimming Carnival, putting in a gold medal performance at the Manning Aquatic Centre.
The Bathurst junior is currently sitting in the top five in NSW for butterfly events at her age, putting her right on the cusp of nationals selection.
Her mother, Kristie, hopes the next step with the Sydney college will allow Thorne to reach her full potential.
"She's worked for years to get to this. She was offered a scholarship there and it's going to be great for her. There's strength and conditioning, the pool facilities, a physio and she'll be 15 steps away from the pool from her bedroom," she said.
"A lot of travelling and sacrifice at Coonamble - where she's had an amazing coach in Robert 'Whiskey' Andriskie - has helped her get to where she is.
"Before COVID she was on track to reach nationals in 2020 but that was obviously cancelled."
Andriskie has built up a reputation for producing brilliant butterfly talents and the Coonamble coach looks to have struck gold again with Thorne.
Thorne will be the top rated butterfly swimmer in the PLC team and will be surrounded by four other girls who are in the NSW top 10 for other strokes, making it one of the strongest school programs around.