WAGGA talent Meg Senior will contemplate earning the right to race against open level swimmers at next year's national championships as she looks toward her long term dream of competing at an Olympics.
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Canberra-based Senior, 16, is back in her home town this week for an elite camp featuring the best national level swimmers aged 13 to 17 from New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.
They have been divided into three groups - Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028, where they will race against each other and develop a team mentality.
Japan is too soon for Senior, but the backstroker is looking toward France as a goal she hopes to achieve.
"I'm hoping to do some trials next year and it still might be a bit soon, but if I can just quality for some trial times and swim against the better swimmers (it would be great)," she said.
"The experience is all important."
Senior trains under Canberra coach Jim Fowlie, and she and younger sister Abbey were accepted into Harrison School's sports academy development program this year.
Senior said she is eager to learn different methods from other coaches during this week's event at Oasis Aquatic Centre.
"This camp is a huge development pathway and I'm very fortunate to be on this team," she said.
"The first few days is a training camp where we get input from different coaches, then we race each other.
Swimming NSW coaching director Jon Shaw said the camp is a valuable chance for Senior to race and learn from some of the best young swimmers in the country.
"All of them have done a qualifying time, or have a podium finish, at the Australian Age Championships," he siad.
"We want to see how they mould into a team in three days that can compete not for themselves, but for the team.
"It's up to them to learn what they can here, and take it back to their individual programs."
Racing takes place on Thursday and Friday.
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