EARLIER this year, at just 14 years of age, Jacob Sansom competed against the best swimmers in the nation at the Australian Commonwealth Games trials in Brisbane - and he put in an impressive performance.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Swimming in the 50 metre, 100 metre and 200 metre backstroke against full grown men, Jacob finished in the middle of the field in the heats for each event.
It was a dream come true for the Boolaroo resident, who competed in the same events as one of his idols - Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mitch Larkin.
"I went for the experience, to get a feel for what it's like to be at such a high level of competition," Jacob said.
"Just warming up and marshalling with all the other swimmers - some of whom were Olympians - was a thrill."
Jacob, now 15, hopes when the event comes around again in four years that he'll be able to "give it a good crack".
But for now he is focusing on improving his technique and enjoying himself.
"Any kid my age wants to go to the Olympics and I do think about it sometimes, but I try to focus on my next [swimming] meet and the steps to get to that larger goal," he said.
Jacob is well on the way to achieving that goal.
At the School Sports Australia Swimming Championship, Jacob was again swimming against older competitors in the combined 15/16 age group.
He still managed to collect two gold medals and five silver medals.
This year he was also one of only two people from the Hunter and Upper Hunter area to be selected in the prestigious Swimming NSW Emerging Talent Squad.
