With a love of racing and competitive nature, Joshua Edwards-Smith’s is ready to make a splash in Budapest when he dives in as part of a thirty strong team at the World Junior Swimming Championships this month.
Reflecting on his racing career, Edwards-Smith still remembers the feeling of placing second at his primary school swimming carnival in year four. This may have been the motivation the West Australian needed to step up and win the race two years later, igniting his desire to continue challenging himself in and out of the pool.
Edwards-Smith can now be found breaking national age records set by Olympians and Commonwealth Champions, including Andrew Lauterstein and Mitchell Larkin. This year he knocked three seconds off the Australian Age record in the Boys’ 16-years 200m Backstroke in Adelaide, which had been held by Larkin for nine years.
“I grew up watching those guys, and Mitch especially, has always been a huge inspiration to me, and it really meant a lot just knowing what he’s gone on to achieve,” he said at the National Youth Camp in Canberra.
At the same event, he also smashed Lauterstein’s 15-year-old record in the Boys’ 16-years 100m Backstroke, which was moment the crowd will never forget.
“Andrew was on pool deck after the race and he was so nice and he’s just such a great role model to look up to, not only from an athlete perspective but for his character, just a really great guy,” he said.
“I think Australian swimming is just a big team, so it’s good for the older guys to support younger swimmers coming through and for us to support them.”
These stellar performances marks Edwards-Smith as one to watch in Budapest, now holding the double trifecta of Australian Age records with the Boys 14, 15 and 16 years 100m and 200m backstroke titles to his name.
Coached by Michael Shaw at UWA West Coast, Edwards-Smith professes he’s not the most technical athlete out there, but a hard worker.
“We’ve had a look at the standard I’ll need to be at for a successful junior worlds campaign, but I still want to go in with an open-mind and embrace the unknown, see what the competition brings.”
Having had a taste of international competition at last year’s Oceania Championships, Edwards-Smith looks to learn from the “massive learning experience” and put his best foot forward as he represents Australia again.
“It was quite a low-key meet, but it taught me a lot about what it means to represent my country, it gave me a real taste for it and just really inspired me to keep going.”
The life of young aspiring swimmer isn’t easy, but Edwards-Smith’s dedication and drive has seen him flourish under a heavy workload.
“During a busy week you’re up at 5am for training, then school all day then back to training in the afternoon and your back home at 7pm so it’s a long day. But I’ve got a great support crew around me which makes it easier, so it’s manageable.”
With his parents cheering him on from the stands in Budapest, Edwards-Smith has a close-knit support system helping him on his journey. Crediting his father as the original source of inspiration for his foray into swimming. The Rottnest swim veteran showed his son from a young age what it meant to be committed to a goal.
“It’s a big swim, it’s about 20km off the coast, so seeing Dad train for it every year has definitely influenced the way I approach my training.”
Get to know Josh
State: WA
Age: 16
Club: UWA West-Coast
Coach: Michael Shaw
Pet Events: Backstroke, Freestyle
2019 Hancock Prospecting Australian Age Swimming Championship Medals
Gold
- Boys 16 Years 100m Freestyle
- Boys 16 Years 100m Backstroke
- Boys 16 Years 200m Backstroke
Bronze
- Boys 16 Years 50m Freestyle
Follow Edwards-Smith’s journey as he and the next wave of swimmers compete at the 2019 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, August 20-25 in Budapest. Updates to follow on Swimming Australia’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. #TheNextWave
