Mandurah swimmer wins Rottnest Channel Swim

The past 12 months have been fruitful for the rising star. After finishing second in the 2016 Rottnest swim, she claimed a win in Perth’s Port to Pub race and was named the City of Mandurah’s sportsperson of the year.

But Weller, who won the Rottnest swim in front of her long-time idol Jamie Bowler, ranks it as her greatest milestone.

“This is probably my biggest achievement,” she said.

“I’ve looked up to Jamie for so long and to be able to win this race means a lot to me.”

At the 10-kilometre mark, Weller trailed Bowler by roughly 400 metres.

Battling harsh swell and wind, the Peel Aquatic Club swimmer went all out to gain the lead and cross the line first.

“To be honest I was kind of preparing my speech to say sorry to my support crew for letting them down,” she said.

“It was at about the 12km mark I decided to flick the switch and push a bit more.”

She took the lead at the 18km mark and won the race three minutes ahead of Bowler.

“I couldn’t believe it when I crossed the line first. My family were cheering me on and it was just so surreal,” she said.”

“It still hasn’t really sunk in for me yet.”

Weller, who crossed the line in four hours, 52 minutes and 3.13 seconds, said her second-place finish in the 2016 swim was a key motivator for her this time around.

“It was always in the back of my mind,” she said.

“It sort of pushes you to want to go even better this time around.”

Her fellow Peel Aquatic Club swimmer Grace Walton also competed in the swim, making the crossing for the first time in five hours, 55 minutes.

Weller will now take a break from swimming before returning to the pool for races held by the Peel Aquatic Club.