A promising Talent in Paralympic Swimming
We are thrilled to introduce Gabriella Smith, a exceptional New Zealand Paralympic swimmer making her debut at the Paris Paralympics this year. We had the pleasure of chatting with her about her experiences and the dedication that has driven her to achieve this incredible milestone. Her story is a testament to resilience, passion, and the power of perseverance, read on to find out more about Gaby Smith.
I have been attempting to qualify since July last year at the 2023 World Para Champs and achieved the qualifying times both there and the Queensland State Champs 2023 in December. I was completely in shock when I received the news, I had to step out of class to take the call and I think the look on my face must have caused my friends some worry because they all kept asking me what was wrong. I sort of just looked at my best friend and said ‘I got selected for Paris’. A lot of screaming and cheering from my classmates was paired with a blank expression from me, really just trying to figure out what the heck I had just heard over the phone. I called my mum, dad, sister and nana, who were all thrilled with the news (dad may have even shed a few tears). Being my first Paralympics, I am super proud of how far I have come from just being the little have-a-go swimmer I was once at age 11. As I started swimming from such a young age, I never really had the urge to stop. I was drawn in by the loud and vibrate atmosphere, everyone cheering and screaming. It’s my exact definition of fun. Attending the Halberg Games, led me to meeting so many other incredible athletes and coaches that have helped pave the path I’m on today and I’ve made lifelong friends that support me no matter what. They have taught me the meaning of true friendship and we are stuck with each other forever. Halberg played a massive part in showing me and a lot of other young kiwi athletes inclusion in sport and in participating in competition itself, exhibiting the true meaning of uniting each other.
For the upcoming Paris Paralympics, the training both in and out of the pool has definitely been stepped up a notch. Harder sessions in the pool, more weight at the gym as well as more checkups with the physio, trips to nutritionist and mental skills coaches, etc just to be completely sure I am fit and healthy to compete. A typical day for me usually depends on which day it is, usually in the pool training morning and night, sometimes with a gym in between and a pilates on Sunday (the best day). Winning a medal or even finalling would mean the absolute world to me, all of those hours up and down the pool, the 5am wake ups and the exhausted afternoons would all be worth it. I don’t really have any sort of pre race rituals, I just make sure and triple check that I have absolutely everything I need in case something goes wrong, plus spares. I am someone who can get overwhelmed very easily if everything isn’t in the right place, so I feel a lot calmer knowing where everything is. As someone who is fiercely competitive, it is hard at times to find peace with loss, but I have to remind myself to control the controllable. It’s a piece of advice I have for young athletes aspiring to compete in the Paralympics one day. You can only do so much to determine your fate, the best you can do is the best you can do, trying your hardest is the main thing.
My go-to pre race meal is probably a HUGE bowl of pesto pasta, some salami and ham , capsicum and olives, absolutely perfect. I unfortunately am a chronic talker so I do not have many secrets in my life, let alone a secret talent. My favourite athlete of all time is most definitely Simone Biles. She presents herself with such an incredibly large positive attitude and a smile on her face no matter the circumstances, showing strength and determination to thrive in every given aspect of her sporting career. I am 100% someone who has to get hyped up before a race, any dnb music or just really high tempo is perfect, which sort of pairs with advice to just trust yourself and have fun. When you get to the point of racing where you are sitting in the marshalling tent and just behind the blocks, all the practice and mental preparation is what you have to believe in and trust. Realistically, no major changes can be made at that point in time so you just have to enjoy the moment. Another great bit of advice that is always in my head from my Nana, ‘second is the first loser’, but that’s more just the family’s competitive spirit shining through.
To stay updated on both Gabriella Smith and the New Zealand Paralympics team, click the link here to find out the schedules and information.
