Melton’s Manar Mahfouz hopes to one day represent her countries at the Olympics – her country of birth, Australia, and her country of origin, Lebanon.
“No-one from Lebanon has ever competed in the Olympics, so I want to be the first,” she said.
And the 12 year-old looks set to achieve her goal.
She finished first in breaststroke at the Western Metropolitan Region Finals Swimming Championships earlier this year and came fifth in the 50-metre breaststroke at the state finals last month, missing out on third place by 0.18 seconds.
“When I looked at the scoreboard and saw I beat my time, I got really proud of myself because I’ve worked really hard,” Manar said.
“I was really happy because I’m representing my school; I was really excited about it.”
The Melton Secondary College student says even though her training schedule is very demanding – she trains eight times a week – she makes homework and studying her top priorities.
Her secret to success is dedication and she advises others against placing too much emphasis on “having fun”.
“Education always comes first,” she says.
