My name is Sam, I’m 18 years old, I swim for the Melbourne Swim Club and I’m a S14 MC/Para competitive swimmer. I live with Autism and an Intellectual Disability which means I process things a bit differently but in the water everything is clear. I recently competed at the 2026 Australian MC Age Championships on the Gold Coast and it was the best experience of my life. It showed me that I belong at this level and gave me the fire to go even further.

Swimming is more than a sport to me, it’s where I feel most like myself. I love the challenge of swimming the black line and the way a hard session makes me feel strong. My aim is to become an Australian Dolphin and to represent my country at the Brisbane 2032 Paralympics. I care about this because I want to prove that having a disability doesn't limit your potential. I want to show other people that with enough heart and hard work you can take on the world.

I’m not afraid of hard work. I have the grit and the focus to do what it takes. Every week my mum & I drive over 1,600km to train in both Albury (daily) and Melbourne (weekly). This routine has been a game changer for me - by training solo at home with my mum as my coach, along with training with an elite squad in Melbourne once a week I’ve been able to really improve my skills & techniques. My next goal, post the 2026 Australian Championships, is to qualify for the 2026 Australian Trials in Sydney this June (I’m only milliseconds off my 50m free QT and seconds off my 100m & 200m free QT) - the gateway to potential international competition and even greater success. I am 100% ready and committed to attain eligibility to the para pathway program, not just by showing up every session but by being ready to give it my all in all aspects of the sport I love.

Living in rural Australia shouldn’t hinder me from reaching my goals, unfortunately with the recent increase in fuel prices it is getting me nervous, so I am asking for your help to assist me with some of the following:

Fuel expenses: to help contribute toward the 1,600+kms I travel weekly to get to training and to attend comps further afield.

Accommodation: to attend my weekly training sessions in Melbourne I need to stay overnight; I also need to attend state & national meets/championships regularly

Competition Gear: to help contribute toward the cost of my competitive swimmers and much needed elite training gear.

And the big picture is to help me reach my goal of qualifying for the 2032 Paralympics in Brisbane to compete against the best in the world.

Thank you so much for your donation and for becoming a huge part of my journey.