The chance to move to an elite school or university in the hope of continuing development is what most of the nation’s most promising teenage swimmers focus on.
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But that’s not the case for Callum Smith.
The 15-year-old from Wellington knows the school he attends, St John’s College, can’t compare to some other, more specialised centres around the country.
But that doesn’t matter to him and living in a regional area clearly has no impact on his development either.
Smith will take his place alongside the other best young swimmers in the country next week when he competes in the 50m freestyle at the 2018 Georgina Hope Foundation Australian Age Championships at Homebush.
“There are schools that offer swimming programs but I like it out here,” he said.
“It’s more one-on-one coaching and you get more out of it and I just like the community that is around it here. It’s a lot more supportive than elsewhere.”
Smith has quickly developed into one of the region’s most exciting prospects.
While he has always had a love for swimming it’s really only been in the past couple of years where has has started to take things more seriously.
Since then, his times have continually got better and it was late last year when he hit the qualifying time needed to compete at the Australian Age Championships.
“I got that in December last year and that was cool,” the Dubbo City Swimtech athlete said.
“It was 25.50 (seconds) needed, I think, and I got did a 25.22.
“It’s really exciting to be going. I’ve never been to this type of event before so it will be great to get this kind of experience and enjoy it and see how I go.”
While Smith has a relaxed attitude, the mature and well-spoken teenager is fiercely determined.
That’s obvious when he talks about where he’d like swimming to take him.
“Olympics would be nice,” he laughed.
“But I will be 18 by the time 2020 (Tokyo Olympics) rolls around so it would be the time to try so I’d have a go at that.”
I will be 18 by the time 2020 rolls around so it would be the time to try.
- Callum Smith on his Olympic dream
While that’s the dream, the focus now is purely on Monday’s 50m freestyle.
The heats are one of the meet’s first events in the morning with the final, should Smith make it, being contested that night.
The work has been done with Smith and his family regularly up at 4am to make the trip to Dubbo to train while the pool here was open. He trains seven times a week in the pool while there is also plenty of gym work.
That’s something needed when contesting ‘splash and dash’ event which is the 50 freestyle.
“It’s one of the events where you put in a lot of effort and you have to exert yourself to get to the end so there’s that challenge and it’s something really fun and I enjoy it,” Smith said.
Next week’s meet will also act as the selection event for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships to be held in Suva, Fiji and the Oceania Championships to be held in Papua New Guinea.
Smith added he was incredibly thankful to his family and his Dubbo City Swimtech Club for all the support and assistance.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
