Paralympic dream alive for Kings Langley superfish Tim Hodge after record medal haul

TIM  Hodge’s Paralympic dream is drawing closer with another star display from the Kings Langley superfish.

JSS Timothy Hodge

TIM  Hodge’s Paralympic dream is drawing closer with another star display from the Kings Langley superfish.

A haul of 17 medals from 18 events, including nine national record times, at the Pacific School Games in Adelaide last month was another display of why the 14-year-old amputee swimmer has been high on the list of Australian Paralympic swimming team selectors.

It has been a whirlwind 12 months for the Patrician Brothers’ College Blacktown student who competed at his first senior international event in July, the International Paralympic Committee’s World Championships in Glasgow.

“I’m really focused on my swimming at the moment,” Tim, whose right leg is amputated, said.

“The potential to earn Paralympic selection is always in the back of my mind spurring me on to give a little bit more in the pool. “I’m happy with the times I’m swimming but there is still a way to go to lock in an ‘A’ qualifying time to cement my place in Rio.”

Tim Hodge won 17 medals at the Pacific School Games in Adelaide last month

Tim will clock up even more frequent flyer miles when he travels to Bismarck, North Dakota, to compete at the CanAm Open Para-Swimming championships this week.

“I feel more confident going into this event than when I went to Glasgow,” he said.

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Tim will have until the Australian Open Age Championships in April to guarantee his ticket to the 2016 Paralympics.

“I never thought at such a young age I would have a solid shot of making the Paralympic team,” he said.

“There is a lot of hard work ahead but it is an exciting time all the same.”