The next generation of Aussie swimmers are being given a taste of their potential future as they come face to face with their Olympic heroes in Queensland.
As the sunshine state prepares to host the Australian Swimming Trials for the first time in 40 years, a local swimming club is rallying behind its most decorated champions in the lead up to the big event with the Rackley's Race to France.
Nearly 30,000 students and 2100 squad members will swim side by side with homegrown heroes such as Jenna Strauch, Max Giuiliani, Sam Short, Thomas Neill and Meg Harris.
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Together they're taking part in the race that aims to cover the distance from South East Queensland to France, roughly 37,500km.
Meg Harris, 22, who just won gold and silver at the Australian Swimming Championships tells 9honey being back at Rackley Swim Club is such a reminder of how far they've come.
"I remember swimming at [the juniors] age, you're trying to be an Olympian every day," she says.
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"It's so rewarding getting to train alongside the junior swimmers, you get to see new swimmers coming through and it's nice to think that when we're eventually done, we'll get to watch them – it's exciting!"
Sam Short, 22, who took out a gold and two silver medals at the Australian Swimming Championships, says seeing the young swimmers takes her right back to where her Olympic journey began.
"When I was growing up and training, I always used to look up to the older swimmers and try to be there one day to race them [so] it's great to see the up-and-coming Australian swimmers of tomorrow putting in the hard work and having fun while doing it."
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He says swims like the Rackley Race to France are good to ground him before the upcoming trials.
"When I'm old and in my rocking chair, I can watch them tearing up [the pool] at the 2030-something Olympics and it'll be awesome to watch."
Meanwhile Olympian 21-year old Tommy Neill, who competed at the Tokyo Games, is also enjoying the chance to return to his roots.
"I've been at the club for over 10 years, so I definitely know what it's like to be in their [the juniors] position and looking up to older swimmers – it's pretty daunting."
"Now that I'm one of them [the older swimmers], it feels weird that I'm an inspiration [but] it's nice to know that what you've done as a junior is now what you're inspiring."
He says he's "still got plenty of years left in the sport" yet and is hoping events like this will help him "keep inspiring Australia's next generation of swimmers".
"It's pretty special to see these kids training – I was in their position once, hoping to make the Olympics."
/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F363d2f4c-1745-4b83-8369-f82c19cbffec "Australia's top swimmers meet future Olympic hopefuls (5)")
Neill says it's "every kid in Australia's goal to represent their country" so can understand where these kids' heads are at.
"For them, being able to see Olympians train next to them is so inspiring and it can only help them to work harder and push them along to special things when they grow up."
And the kids agree.
Ten-year-old Laura says her dream is to be an Olympic swimmer.
"It's really fun and exciting to swim next to Olympians", she says, "I'm definitely hoping to be swimming at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games."
While 11-year-old Ava says having the Olympians around is inspiring.
"Seeing the Olympians at the pool all the time, I look up to them and try to copy what they're doing, but also try to be cool", she says, adding "I'd like to be at the Brisbane Olympics, but I know I'll have to train very hard."
And even nine-year-old Greta says she is getting a lot out of it.
"It's pretty cool to swim alongside the Olympians every day," she says, "I like swimming, I want to be good at it, so I can be an Olympian."
These swim students are just a few of the thousands who are logging their swim distance with each class in the Rackley Race to France Live Tracker, mapping their swim school's progress in the interactive race to the French coastline.
The race is expected to take a few months to finish, however the Australian swim team will compete in trials for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 next month.
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