Maya Zunker | Swimming Journey

Hi, I’m Maya. I’m currently in Year 12 at King’s Christian College and recently had the honour of being selected on my first Australian Junior Swim Team to compete at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Canada this August.

Swimming has been a huge part of my life for many years, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities the sport has given me so far. Over time, the sport has taught me discipline, resilience, consistency, and how to keep showing up even when things don’t go to plan.

ABOUT ME

Most of my days revolve around balancing school, training, recovery, travel, and trying to be the best athlete and person I can be.

Like many athletes, the journey hasn’t always been straightforward. There have been setbacks through injury and illness such as rupturing three ligaments in my ankle playing rep netball, tearing my hamstring and quad, enduring glandular fever, battling pneumonia twice and a couple of other viruses that ended seasons, but those experiences have helped me grow and have given me a greater appreciation for every opportunity I have to compete.

This next stage of swimming is an important one for me. I’m now making the transition from age group competition into open level racing, where I have the chance to compete against some of the greatest swimmers in Australia and internationally.

Over the next 12 months, I’ll be competing at the following major meets:

• May: New Zealand Open Championships, Auckland, New Zealand 

• June: Australian Swimming Trials, Sydney

• July: Australian School Sport Nationals, Melbourne 

• August: Junior Pan Pacific Championships, Vancouver, Canada 

• September: Australian Short Course Championships, Sydney

• December: Queensland State Championships, Brisbane 

• April: Australian Age Championships, Brisbane

• April: Australian Open Championships, Brisbane

These competitions are a fundamental part of continuing to develop as an elite athlete and gain experience at the next level of the sport.

MY LIFE

A typical week for me means balancing:

• Early morning and afternoon training sessions 

• Strength and recovery work 

• Year 12 studies 

• Domestic and international travel 

• Competition preparation and racing 

Outside of swimming I enjoy spending time with friends and family, going to the beach, playing card games, and being involved in other sports. Over the years I’ve competed at state level in netball, as well as athletics, cross country and basketball.

Some of the things I love most about sport is the way it brings people together, creates strong team environments and provides opportunities both in and out of competition.

After school I would like to continue to pursue swimming at the highest level possible while studying at university. I’m interested in sports science and biomechanics, and would love to build a career connected to high-performance sport and help other athletes throughout their sporting journey.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Some highlights from my swimming journey so far include:

• Selection on the Australian Junior Team for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships (Canada) 

• Australian and Queensland record holder

• 10-time Australian champion

• 20 x national medallist

• Competed at the Australian Olympic and World Championship trials

• 70+ Queensland State medals (2019-2026).

• Selected in the QAS Youfor2032 Program across 7 sports

• School leadership roles including School Captain, House Captain and Swimming Captain.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

I am aiming to raise $10,000 to help support the costs associated with competing nationally and internationally over the next season.

Your support will help cover:

• Flights and travel 

• Accommodation 

• Meals while away competing 

• Competition entry fees 

• Ongoing training and preparation costs 

Every contribution, no matter the size, genuinely helps make these opportunities possible.

Thank you for supporting my journey and being part of this next chapter.

@maya.zunker