Samantha Thompson broke not one, but five long-standing records at the Wellington High Swimming Carnival last month.
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The young athlete swum in all events for her age group and broke the 1975 400 metre freestyle, the 1987 100 metre freestyle, 1987 50 metre freestyle, the 1996 200 metre free and the 2001 50 metre butterfly records.
"It was cool to know that I'm the fastest at the school," she said humbly. "I'm proud. It's kind of surreal that I am the fastest so far that has been to this school in swimming."
She got involved in swimming at a young age as her parents knew it was an important life skill to have, but started competing competitively after watching her Olympic idols on the television screen.
"I did Learn to Swim and started training full-on when I was 10 years-old with Orana Aquatic in Dubbo," Samantha explained.
"When I was little I watched swimming and I said 'I really want to swim there Mum, I want to swim in the big pool' and she said I'll have to start training and I said I wanted to..."
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Samantha said she just loves swimming and being in the water and her favourite stroke is backstroke.
"But my best (stroke) is butterfly. I'm also developing in my long-distance racing too," she said.
"It's kind of hard to chose your best stroke when you're young because it keeps changing...
"I just enjoy backstroke because it's so relaxing."
Just recently she competed in the Western Swimming Carnival.
While Samantha did make it through to the NSW Combined High Schools Sports Association (NSW CHSSA) at Sydney Olympic Park, the event has been postponed due to the coronavirus.
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The event was scheduled to be held over April 1-3 at the Aquatic Centre.
"I was sad. Looking back on the older times, I was probably going to make top 10 in the 400 freestyle, which is my first finalist in any big meet," Samantha said.
The now 14-year-old trains at least twice a week with Orana Aquatic and at the Wellington pool, but to ensure her fitness is maintained year round, Samantha also trains at the Hardnox Gym.
Samantha trains for an hour at the gym every day and an hour and a half in the pool whenever she can, sometimes morning and evenings.
"Now I'll just keep training and keeping my fitness up through winter and be ready for next season," she said.
"When it's right in the middle of summer season I am full-on training...."
Samantha has also previously done training in Sydney where her technique is recorded.
Taylor Jurd
Hi, my name is Taylor Jurd. I am a journalist with Australian Community Media, I write for the Western Magazine and Wellington Times.
Hi, my name is Taylor Jurd. I am a journalist with Australian Community Media, I write for the Western Magazine and Wellington Times.
