Sydney Brown in Flippers squad, trains with Cate, Bronte Campbell
She’s a rap music loving schoolgirl hoping to follow in the wake of superstar swimming sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell all the way to the Olympic arena.
Illawarra Star
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When following the black line in long training sessions teenage swimmer Sydney Brown has a trick to keep her focused.
The rising star of swimming from Shellharbour, south of Sydney, is a 50m and 100m freestyle specialist - the same discipline the Campbell sisters have been dominating on the world stage for years.
“I am am not going to lie. It can be boring sometimes during long sets of the same stroke,” said the schoolgirl from Shellhaven Anglican College student.
“I just focus on my technique. I sing songs in my head a lot and think about different things. I think about what’s happened that day, what’s for dinner, what’s coming up next.
“I really like hip hop and rap music. It may come as a surprise to some people but I like Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent.
A former surf life saving Nipper, Brown admits she prefers swimming in a pool and is there most days before 5.30am training.
And it is in the stillwater that she has excelled.
At the nationals last year she won the 50m freestyle in the 14s and finish second in the 100m
“I have a few NSW state records,’’ she said “I broke Emma McKeon’s shortcourse 50m record last year in October.
“I did a bit of growing last year which helped a lot along with the hard work and training in the pool.’’
One of the highlights of her swimming career to date was spending a week training alongside the Bronte sisters and their coach Simon Cusack.
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“I have so much respect for them as athletes and people. They have been in the sport for so long, they are inspiring,” she said.
“I spent a week training with them in January.
“It was great. I learned so much. I learned how important support systems are in the sport, that you may have good and bad times in training and good and bad results but to be resilient and really push through.’’
When Australia’s next wave of swim talent was identified recently Brown was in was a part of it, named in the MLC National Flippers squad.
The squad includes the best and brightest young swimming talent in the country destined to make up our Olympic teams of the future.
Brown is one of five NSW athletes named in the Flipper squad. Other members are Charlie Hawke, Charli Brown, Abbey Webb and Angus McDonald.