SOME of the country’s best young swimmers and an emotional rollercoaster await Julian Aenishaenslin but he is excited by the prospect.
The 16-year-old will contest the 200m freestyle at the 2014 Australian Age Swimming Championships in Sydney this week.
The Ballina swimmer is no stranger to the championships but his preparations this year have been hampered by injury and illness.
With success and personal bests often hanging on hundredths of a second, the Alstonville High School student said the meet was tough emotionally and physically.
“You see lots of different emotions,” Julian said.
“You see people jumping for joy because of their times or medals and then others crying because things have gone badly.
“It is a very intense event.”
Ballina Indoor Swim Team member Julian was introduced to the water as a child – “I think my Mum had me in the water at six months” – and has been swimming competitively for about six years.
The sport has become a big part of his life, providing mental and fitness benefits.
“If I don’t have a swim in the morning, I feel really sluggish,” he said.
“It can be tough but the feeling you get when you do well is brilliant.
“When I get a PB I’m on a high for hours or days afterwards. It keeps you motivated to stay in training.”
Julian, who has qualified for the championships every year since 2011, said the sport required enormous dedication.
“I would say swimming is the hardest sport to stay motivated with,” he said. “There’s no aspect about it that doesn’t take huge mental or physical demands.
“It’s tough, but then you think about the rewards and the satisfaction you get.
“I have friends in the sport I hang out with (and) it keeps me fit and in shape.”
Julian’s preparations have been hampered in recent months by a combination of injury and illness, but he is approaching top form again.
“I went to the state schools championships (recently) and got close to my personal best,” Julian said.
“I had a bit left in the tank so that was a good sign.
“It (an event like this) underlines that swimming is about you racing against yourself and trying to be your best.
“There’s pain involved along the way but you have to push through it.”
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