Countless hours spent following that black line up and down the pool have paid off for Murrumburrah High School students Mikayla Johnston and Ryan Daley.
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Today they are on their way to the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre to take on the state’s best at the CHS Swimming Championships.
Year 11 student Mikayla will compete in no fewer than six multi class events, whilst Year 9 student Ryan will hope to continue his record-breaking form in the 100m breaststroke.
Ryan has had a brilliant season so far, claiming eight records at the Murrumburrah High School swimming carnival and another eight with the Harden Murrumburrah Amateur Swim Club.
He’s no stranger to state swimming either, and is aiming this week to beat last year’s result of 17th out of the state’s top 30 competitors.
"I want to make it to nationals, but I’ll be happy with a spot in the finals,” Ryan said.
Ryan said his biggest motivation is beating his own personal best (PB) times, although no doubt there is so family rilvalry there as well.
Ryan’s older siblings Hayden and Emily are both competitive swimmers, and his younger brother James is hot on his heels.
“They just love to swim, in the summer they're always down at the pool,” mum Jenny said.
Ryan and Mikayla both started swimming at a young age, and currently put in four training sessions a week as they seek to constantly improve.
For Mikayla it’s not so simple as ducking to the pool before or after school though- she lives and trains in Cootamundra.
The daily drive is no barrier to mum Janelle, who is used to taking her daughter all around the country for representative swimming.
“It’s the most social sport, I’ve met so many friends through different competitions,” Mikayla said.
Among those friends is Australia’s youngest Paralympic medallist Maddison Elliot, who Mikayla competed with at the 2010 National Championships.
Mikayla competes in both able-bodied and multi class events; she uses hearing aids in both ears, which obviously can't be used in the pool.
This means when there’s a whistle Mikayla relies on the competitors around her to know when to dive in.
The slower start didn’t stop her qualifying for five able-bodied and four multi class events at the Riverina Championships on March 6.
This week she will compete in six multi class events, earning points based on how her times compare to the world record for swimmers with her hearing impairment rather than on who touches the wall first.
