Three Bond University swimmers are swapping homework for Hawaii to compete in the Junior Pan Pacific Championships.
School students Milla Jansen, Jesse Coleman and Flynn Southam will join Bond Biomedical Science student Joshua Collett in Honolulu for the event from August 24-27.
Jansen, who’s is in year 10 at Somerset College, is competing in 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle and is hopeful of being named in the 4x100m relay team.
“I will miss a bit of school, but it will be ok,” the 15-year-old said with a shrug.
“I’m very excited especially as it’s in Hawaii and it’s going to be hot there!”
The University’s head coach Chris Mooney, who used to live in Hawaii, is the main mentor on Australia’s team.
“I first started with Mooney when he came here last October so it’s coming up to a year now,” said Jansen.
“I love him! He’s really good.”
Coleman,18, is looking forward to wearing the green and gold and testing himself at a ‘really high level’ against other countries.
“It’s pretty cool, getting all team gear was pretty exciting, seeing the colours and ‘Australia’ written over it was cool,” he said.
“The Americans are looking strong so it will be great to go up against them, test my skills and see how it goes.”
The Kings Christian College year 12 student will line up in 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, and 100m freestyle.
“I would like some personal best times that would be nice, you can’t ask for any more than that,” he said.
The teenager hopes this is the first of many international meets for him.
“I’d like to go all the way, represent Australia at a senior level, go to the Olympics and Worlds and Commonwealth Games.”
The team will have a one week staging camp at Mecure Gold Coast Resort in Carrara before departing for Hawaii.