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Minna Atherton isn't superstitious, just don't touch her lucky reptile

When Minna Atherton was packing for Birmingham, her main priority was ensuring a small toy lizard filled with sand was safely tucked inside her luggage.  

Named ā€˜Sparklesā€™ the lizard was given to her by a family friend who taught her to ski.  

ā€œWe always had a toy lizard that we used to carry around with us on the slopes. So now I take that with me on all my adventures,ā€ Atherton said with a laugh.  

ā€œItā€™s quite old, it has a few holes so itā€™s in a plastic bag.ā€ 

Atherton will open her Commonwealth Games campaign on Monday August 1, competing in 200m backstroke.  

A pass mark for the 22-year-old in Birmingham would be to swim faster than she did at trials.  

ā€œI am super stoked to be on the team, I didnā€™t swim my best time leading into the Commonwealth Games. A personal best would be nice. I havenā€™t had the best few years so Iā€™m glad to just be on the team.ā€ 

Minna started making serious waves in swimming in 2019 when she broke the short course world record in 100m backstroke held by three-time Olympic champion, Hungarian Katinka Hosszu. 

Atherton was then considered a medal contender for the Tokyo Olympics, but heartbreakingly failed to qualify.  

When asked if she had thoughts of wanting to quit Atherton replied: ā€œPlenty.ā€ 

ā€œA lot of the time last year and probably the year before as well I was thinking I donā€™t know if this is for me. But I just kept on going and here I am.ā€ 

She said her mindset has dramatically improved under Bondā€™s head swimming coach Chris Mooney.  

ā€œHeā€™s been amazing weā€™ve been working on my enjoyment of the sport after Covid and a few other things interrupted my motivation. We have been working on those things and just wanting to be here and wanting to perform.ā€ 

It also helps she no longer has the stress of assignments and exams hanging over her. The recipient of the Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship graduated from the University with a Biomedical Science degree in June.  

ā€œI have been working on my degree since 2018 so itā€™s been a long time coming. Iā€™m really happy Iā€™m done because now I can go away and travel without the academic pressure that I had in the past.ā€ 

Her Brisbane-based parents will be in Birmingham to cheer her on.  

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