Rainbow Flats' teenager Nash Wilkes confirmed his reputation as one of the Nation's most promising young swimmers with a dominant performance at the School Sports Australia Swimming Championships in Melbourne earlier this week.
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Competing in the 17-year boys' 50m breaststroke, Nash blitzed a field of the best school-age swimmers from around the country to set a new Australian record of 28.94 seconds.
He then backed it up with a comfortable win in the 100m breaststroke, narrowly missing the Australian record by 0.12 seconds, before adding a silver medal to his tally as a part of the NSW B team in the 4 x 50m medley relay.
Never one to blow his own horn, Nash believed the results were simply the product of all the training he'd put in.
"All the hard work is paying off," he said.
"I'm stoked."
Having missed the cut in 2018, Nash only qualified for the championships for the first time this year.
He travelled to Melbourne with the goal of making the finals.
However, once he swam a personal best in his opening heat, he said he had the confidence to keep improving on his performances.
"That pretty much set up the meet for me," he admitted.
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The result caps off a remarkable few months for Nash, with the quietly-spoken Year 12 student going from strength to strength at every meet he's entered since April.
Coach Peter Sanders said the winning form he'd found himself in was testament to his dedication.
"He's just so dedicated," he said.
"He lives and breathes swimming."
With the State short-course championships coming up later this month, Nash is trying not to look too far into the future, but he admits he's excited about challenging himself against Australia's best swimmers at the Olympic trials next year.
Although he'll be finishing school soon and will be free to live and train where he chooses, he says there's little reason for him to leave the tutelage of Mr Sanders and fellow coach Adel Gregory.
"It's working, so why change it?" he said.
"Without them I wouldn't be going to any of these meets."
Also joining Nash at the School Sports Australia Swimming Championships was training partner and Manning Point swimmer, Claire Van Kampen, who missed out on a medal by a single place in the 17-girls' 200m backstroke.
She claimed a bronze medal in the 4 x 50m medley relay and was also recognised with the NSW sportsperson award, which was a great honour according to her mother Cathy.
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