Swimming strongly through pouring rain, Wai-sze beat the older swimmers to win three gold medals in the 50 metres freestyle, 50 metres breaststroke and 100 metres freestyle.

In the meantime, rival Wai-sum was excelling in Grade B, in which she won the championship for the second year running.

Wai-sum has been Grade C champion twice, and now she is a two-time Grade B champion. Throughout her five years of swimming for the school, she has shown Wai-sze no mercy.

'But we are not enemies at all!' said Form Five student Wai-sum. 'I've known Wai-sze for as long as I can remember.

'We've been in the school swimming team from Form One, and we've swum together in invitation relays scores of times.' Both are fine swimmers who understand each other's strengths and weaknesses.

In invitation relays, the fast and sharp-witted Wai-sze will swim in the first lap to create the lead, while strong Wai-sum will put her stamina into the last lap.

'I train two hours, three times a week. Last summer I went with my team to China for a two-week training stint. I've improved a lot,' said Wai-sum.

Her efforts have paid off. She picked up three gold medals for the 50 metres freestyle, 50 metres backstroke and the 100 metres freestyle.

She finished the 50 m freestyle in a an amazing 0'32 seconds.

Following their dazzling performance in the school's 34th swimming gala, the two swimmers say they feel ready to lead the junior swimmers in inter-school meets.

Wai-sze says that relays are particularly exciting and nerve-racking events when all eyes are on the swimmers and the crowd is at its noisiest.

It is hard not to feel the tension, but she handles the pressure by just thinking 'swim, swim, swim' and nothing else.

Presenting the prizes and medals was the guest of honour, Molly Luk Wai-han, assistant principal of Yuen Long Government Secondary School.