St Peters Lutheran College’s Mollie O’Callaghan makes Australian Dolphins Tokyo Olympic Games team

She was a reluctant swimmer who once had to have her dad walk alongside the pool to make sure she did not sink, but now Mollie O’Callaghan is about to represent Australia at the Olympics.

She was a reluctant swimmer who once had to have her dad walk alongside the pool to make sure she did not sink, but now Mollie O’Callaghan is about to represent Australia at the Olympics.

The St Peters Lutheran College Springfield schoolgirl has made the Dolphins swim team, qualifying for the 4x200m relay and most likely the 4x100m relay teams.

“I am pretty chilled at the moment. It has not sunk in yet. I have swum PBs all this week and I am glad for the experience,’’ O’Callaghan said.

The baby of the Australian team, O’Callaghan, 17, started her swimming aged seven when her dad had to walk alongside the Greenbank State School pool edge to make sure she did not sink in her first race.

And now she is about to become an Olympian.

Ariarne Titmus, Meg Harris and Mollie O'Callaghan hug after all qualifying Australian National Olympic Swimming Trials. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

It all started for O’Callaghan at the Greenbank State School pool where she attended Friday club night to watch her sister Sophie swim.

She had little interest in swimming, but in one race organisers were short and they asked O’Callaghan if she would compete.

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Mollie O'Callaghan in April before the national championships.Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“We did not even know if she could swim 25m, anyway she jumped in and won. That is how it all started,’’ Toni said.

“Nick (dad) had to walk on the side of the pool in case she couldn’t make the 25m. But she did, so we said ‘okay, she can swim’.

O’Callaghan said: “I did not like swimming to start with, but I fell in love with the racing aspect’’.

“I do train hard and love to train, but racing is where everything is. Winning or PBs or finishing a race after a long week is satisfying,’’ said O’Callaghan.

O’Callaghan then progressed via the Waterworks Aquatic Centre on to St Peters Western where she met national coach Dean Boxall.

“Dean has been a lot of help. He is there to guide us,’’ she said.

“We have to do the work but he sets it all up for us. He is the guidance we need and the push we need to go further and do better than our opponents,’’ she said, while also praising his assistant Maxine Sears and staff.

Mollie O'Callaghan (second and left, competes in a women's 50m freestyle. (Photo by Brenton EDWARDS / AFP)

O’Callaghan said it was fantastic to make the team alongside her St Peters Western team mates, especially Meg Harris who was “my little freestyle training buddy’’.

O’Callaghan, who also thanked her school St Peters Springfield for its support, must have ice in her veins because she never seems flustered.

“Mollie is cool and calm. We have been on edge and she is so cool about it. It is just another step for her and now she is looking forward to going and learning.’’ Toni said.

Queenslanders on the team are: Meg Harris, Abbey Harkin, Ariarne Titmus, Mitch Larkin, Elijah Winnington, O’Callaghan (all St Peters), Zac Stubblety-Cook, Leah Neale, Jack acLoughlin (both Chandler), Thomas Neill, Isaac Cooper (both Rackley), Alexander Graham, Bond, Tristan Hollard, Chelsea Hodges (all Southport Olympic), Cam McEvoy, David Morgan, Madeleine Gough, Kiah Melverton, (all TSS Aquatic), Emily Seebohm, Emma McKeon, (both Griffith University), Kaylee McKeown, USC Spartans, (Griffith University), Jenna Strauch (Bond), Cate and Bronte Campbell (Knox Pymble).

ON SUNDAY: Read all about O’Callaghan’s St Peters team mate Meg Harris and her journey into the Australian swim team.

ON MONDAY: Read all about another Queensland swimming young gun, Tom Neill, who will also made his Olympic debut