Northland swimmer Ciara Smith's 'heartbreaking' step towards Olympic Games glory

Northland swimmer Ciara Smith has made one of the hardest decisions in her life, move from the winterless north to the deep south on her path to Olympic Games glory. Photo / John Stone

Northland swimmer Ciara Smith has made the tough decision to leave family and friends behind in the next step towards potential Olympic Games glory.

Smith, 19, said goodbye to what she calls her 'family' at Whangārei's Northwave Swim Club on Wednesday, when she started her two-day drive to Dunedin where she will attend university this year.

Smith, seen here swimming her favoured stroke of breaststroke, has been touted as Northland's most successful swimmer at her age. Photo / John Stone

The move brought to an end an 11-year stint at the local swim club, which trained all three of her older siblings (Greagh, Finnian, Matigan) before the youngest took to the sport like a fish to water.

Smith is arguably one of Northland highest achieving swimmers for her age. According to long-time coach Monica Cooper, Smith is the only Northland-based swimmer to hold two national open records in the women's 200-metre breaststroke and to swim for New Zealand at the World Short Course Championships.

In conjunction with swags of age-group medals and Northland swimming accolades, Smith certainly rivals any Northland-based swimmer of yesteryear and was even a potential selection for the Tokyo Olympic Games this year.

Smith's drive to succeed and rigorous attention to her training schedules has been the key to her rise on the national stage. Photo / John Stone

While she's given away hopes of an Olympic debut this year, Smith has called the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris a goal for the future.

Speaking with the Northern Advocate days before her departure, Smith said she was more concerned with leaving the swimming family she'd become so used to.

"It's almost heartbreaking," Smith said.

"I just can't hold in my emotions because it's such a big part of my life that I feel like I'm letting go, and saying goodbye to people like Monica who I've grown so close to."

Smith, who had trained at Northwave since she was eight years old, will miss the club's family atmosphere. Photo / John Stone

Nevertheless, Smith was excited to be relocating to the deep south where she would work with national swimmer-turned coach, Lars Humer.

Smith started swimming with the club at age 8 but said she first believed she could be successful in the sport at about 14 years of age.

"That's when I started medalling at national age groups and I broke my first New Zealand record at 15 and that's when I started to realise, 'Wow, I can actually do this, I could go far in swimming'."

While she was taking things one step at a time, Smith was working hard to make an appearance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris a reality. Photo / John Stone

As is often the case in swimming, Smith had her fair share of rivalries. One of her toughest was with good friend Ellie Eastwood, who she eventually beat in a record-breaking swim in the 50-metre breaststroke about five years ago.

"[Ellie] was in the lane next to me and when I hit the wall and I saw my time, I just remember feeling ultimate happiness and we hugged across the lane rope," Smith said.

"That record, I had been battling towards it for quiet a while and I feel like it was a bit of a catalyst."

The Whangārei Aquatic Centre has become like a second home for Smith who would have up to nine sessions there per week, not including gym work and training on land. Photo / John Stone

After announcing herself as one to watch on the New Zealand circuit, Smith travelled with Cooper to multiple world events last year, which was a big eye-opener.

"[International swimmers] work so hard in what they do and you have to dedicate everything to swimming."

Nevertheless, Smith said her experiences overseas strengthened her resolve and revitalised her passion for swimming.

"I just love the sport and I can't imagine the day where I say I'm going to retire from swimming.

"Swimming is a place where I can go and be by myself. Some days after school when you've had the worst day ever, [swimming] is almost like being free of everything."

Smith looked forward to her new life in Dunedin where she will be living with her brother. Photo / John Stone

While she played down talk of a planned appearance at the Olympics in four years, Smith said none of it would have been possible without help from her wide support network.

"The people around me like my family, friends and Monica, definitely none of it would have happened without any of them."

Cooper, who started Northwave in 1999, coached Smith for 11 years and said she was sad to see the young prodigy go.

"We've had a very long relationship together and she's achieved a lot, she was a delight to coach," Cooper said.

"It was a sad day to say goodbye to her, but I'm very happy that she's starting her student life."

Smith, 19, still holds the New Zealand record in the open women's 200m breaststroke. Photo / John Stone

While she would still coach Smith when she returned to Northland during holidays, Cooper said she enjoyed coaching what she described as a "competitive" person with a "drive to succeed".

Cooper maintained it was still to early to tell how far Smith could go in swimming, but accepted that anything was possible.

"It will now depend on how Ciara is able to adjust to her new lifestyle.

"I would like to think that if she wants to continue with her swimming that 2024 is really the timeframe of looking at an Olympic level, but there's a lot that she could learn between now and then."