2010-2018
The Early Years
I wasn't a child prodigy. While passionate about swimming, I never medaled at National Age Championships. Some years I qualified for State, occasionally Nationals, but I was just that nervous kid behind the blocks with no clear path forward.
Everything changed after high school. My 50m butterfly ranked among the top swimmers heading into Commonwealth Trials. I missed the team by 0.09 seconds. That heartbreak became my turning point—I decided to give swimming everything I had.
2010-2018
The Early Years
After graduating high school, I decided to give swimming a red hot go. I went professional while studying part-time at University of Sydney, training like a professional athlete - six to seven times a week in the water and two to three times in the gym. Little did I know then that wasn't yet world-class training, but it was my best effort at the time and every minute I could give outside studying.
Going all-in finally paid off. I won my first national titles in 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke, finished second to world champion Mitch Larkin in 100m backstroke, and claimed gold at World University Games in 50m butterfly. I won many awards including Sydney Uni Blue of the Year and Sydney University Blue Award. I was featured on the front cover of Sydney University's magazine, interviewed by media, and covered in countless stories. However, perhaps accepting so many of those was one of my mistakes - little did I know I couldn't handle the spotlight, media, and pressure. This led me to crumble at the beginning of COVID.
2019-2021
COVID19
COVID changed everything. I'd given up everything for swimming—barely studied while friends started full-time careers. I felt so behind, having never made a senior team for Commonwealth Games, World Championships, or Olympics.
During lockdowns, I lost access to pools and facilities while knowing other athletes still had training access. The stress and anxiety crept up on me. When restrictions lifted and Tokyo Olympics were confirmed, I was ranked in the world's top times for 100m backstroke going into trials. Then I broke my finger three months before the event.
I missed the Tokyo Olympic team despite being one of the favourites. Mentally shattered, I didn't know what to do with my life. I might have went into a period of depression? I couldn't taste food for a week, couldn't sleep, felt horrible. This was the darkest period of my life, one I never want to experience again.
2022
The Comeback
I never wanted to experience that darkness again. After such devastation, I decided to dedicate absolutely everything to swimming. One bad race.. missing the Olympic team did not define who I am or how good I am.
This time, I went all in completely. I discontinued my university course, stopped all side hustles, and made swimming my only focus. I ate healthy, trained harder than ever, and gave everything - Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, New Year's. Every single opportunity.
The magic happened at 2022 Selection Trials. I was ranked outside Australia's top 10, not even on the potential finals list. Then I dropped 0.8 seconds off my personal best, going 48.6 in heats to qualify first for finals, then 48.5 to win - my fifth national title and tickets to World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
Later that year, I won Commonwealth Games gold and silver, plus gold at World Championships. My first international final was the 4x100m freestyle relay, Lane 5 representing Australia, against Olympic champion Caleb Dressel in Lane 4.
2023
The Ultimate test
Life seemed perfect. I'd gone from unknown to internationally televised on ABC News, Channel 7, Channel 9, winning international medals and on track for Paris 2024. Then January 2023 changed everything.
Sharp pain hit my right leg during training. Scans found nothing initially, but the pain worsened until I couldn't sleep or walk. Full-body scans revealed a tumor inside my spine, growing on my nerve. Surgery meant cutting out nerves that don't regenerate. With spinal implants, I'd lose mobility. Without them, I'd lose structural stability.
2023 was gone, no training, uncertain if I'd walk again. To this day, I'm still missing bones from my spine permanently.
But I believed I was a medical outlier. This was physical pain, nothing compared to what I experienced in 2021. If recovery normally takes five months, I'd start training in five weeks. Against every medical study and doctor's recommendation, I trained with a broken spine weeks after surgery.
However, training too hard too quickly caused shoulder tears, ligament damage, requiring four cortisone shots in my left shoulder, ankle ligament issues, more cortisone shots. I put everything on the line to make these Olympic Games. Nothing could stop me.
2024
PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
When I returned from surgery, I was ranked sixth in Australia. Everyone had gone faster, and I not only needed to get back to my normal shape—I needed a personal best to qualify for the Olympics.
That's exactly what I did. I was absolutely locked in, getting every detail correct, obsessed with technique, diet, conditioning, aerobic capacity. I treated all my weaknesses as opportunities for growth, abandoning everything to go all in once again.
My effort was worth it. I swam a personal best at Olympic Trials: 48.0 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than my Commonwealth Games time in 2022. I qualified for an individual spot, finished 15th at the Olympic Games in men's 100m freestyle, and was part of the 4x100m freestyle relay team that won silver at the Olympic Games.
Present
My misson
Post-Olympics, I continued swimming into 2025. But now that my dream has been accomplished, I'm 27 years old and ready to explore other opportunities and discover my greater meaning in the world.
I'm here in my next chapter creating content with everything I know- a decade's worth of knowledge and experience. I'll continuously learn things that will be helpful for my audience. I'll be dedicating a large portion of my time to YouTube, providing free, valuable content to my audience. I hope my knowledge can help others improve their goals, dreams, and life.
I've also founded a brand called NEWPB®, which stands for New Personal Best - a term that has always been said in my family. It was said so many times because it's not about the end result of international medals; it was the pursuit of getting there. Through countless New PBs, I was able to overcome many, many obstacles and eventually step onto the international stage.
Perhaps my achievement at the Olympic Games wasn't only for myself, but for others to find hope in their darkest moments. When facing setbacks, I hope my story can inspire others and help them achieve their dreams.
