Lukas to wear the Green and Gold in Canada

Describe your experiences of Knox Swimming...

Knox swimming team is a tight group of great athletes and mates. Everyone pushes each other to a high expectation and standard. Our coach Steve trains us at an elite level. We come into each training session with the goal to do our best and if we are not feeling great, the team helps us push through. Some great memories from this year were the CAS Swim Camp in the Blue Mountains in January, where we started training for the season with team-building activities to set the tone for the months ahead. CAS Swimming Championships is always a highlight each year. I love representing Knox and competing in front of all our peers and the school. It is a great atmosphere, and we were proud to bring the trophy home for the 10th year in a row.

How has the Pathways for Elite Athletes at Knox (PEAK) program helped you thrive?

The PEAK program has given me tools to manage the load of schoolwork, co-curricular activities and swimming. In particular, I have enjoyed and learned a lot from presentations from dieticians, psychologists and Knox Old Boys who have excelled in sport. These sessions have given me great tools to manage the complexity of training and competing at an elite level while also managing the academic load and participating in other school events.

What advice would you give younger students looking to swim at a professional level?

Stay driven and motivated. Keep faith and trust that the journey will provide outcomes that you will be proud of. The journey is not a big leap to the end-result but an accumulation of small steps that take you there at the end. Know the importance of culture and a team in the sport. Even though it seems like an individual journey the teammates and support you have along the way plays such an enormous role in success.