An inspiring athlete with a go-getter attitude, we chatted to Open Water swimmer Angus Bathe about all things goals, balancing school with training and all his recent achievements!
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself, what event you compete in?
A: My main events are the 5km and 10km Open Water and I also do the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle. I sometimes dabble in a bit of Backstroke too. I started swimming when I was 8 years old in Canada and it really took off once I won my first medal - I'm a bit competitive! Since coming back to Australia, I have qualified for Age Nationals for 5 years straight and Open Water Nationals for 4 years. I've medalled at both States and Nationals multiple times as well.
Q: When you started as a Delfina athlete you mentioned your short term sporting goal was to medal at Open Water Nationals, congratulations on achieving this amazing feat. What is next goal you aim to set yourself?
A: Thank you! Honestly, I didn't actually realise I had medalled until Mum called me after the 5km, so I was pretty stoked to come away the silver in such a close race. In saying that, I was back in the water the next day so I can focus on pool swimming for a little bit. I've got the Noosa Summer Swim coming up where I'm doing the 5km, 3km, and 2km back-to-back-to-back but my goals for the rest of the season are to hopefully win the AIC Swimming Championships and then come top 5 at Age Nationals in the pool. Next season I'm going to shoot for the Junior Open Water World Championships.
Q: Who is your sporting role model or someone you look up to and why?
A: Hard to narrow this down so I've gone with 3 - Nick Sloman (Open Water); Jack McLoughlin (Middle-Long Distance) and Emily Seebohm (Backstroke). I've had the pleasure of training with Nick and I've met Jack and Emily a few times. Something that stuck out to me was how resilient and humble they all are along with a tough work ethic and desire not only to be a great athlete but also a great person.
Q: How have you found working with Delfina (the products, team etc.)
A: I've loved working with #TeamDelfina - the team is super friendly to deal with and the products are great! It's pretty cool working with an Aussie brand that makes such high-quality merch.
Q: What is your greatest sporting achievement?
A: Like I mentioned earlier, getting silver at the Australian Open Water Championships is a huge achievement that I'm quite proud of so I'd say that is my biggest sporting achievement.
Q: What was it like to balance training and high school? What are you plans finishing school?
A: Having just started Year 12 at Marist College Ashgrove, I've found that balancing sport with my senior education hasn't been too hard for me. The strategies I have used are to make the most of my time in the classroom to minimize homework and getting to sleep at a reasonable hour. This year will obviously have a bit more pressure with ATAR and a few extra commitments such as being a House Captain, but I think I've found that balance between social life, swimming, and school. In terms of when I finish school, I'd like to keep swimming and do a Law/Business or Law/Sports Management degree at uni.
Q: Any fun facts or tips of advice for up and coming athletes who seek to perform at an elite level?
A: Probably the biggest tip I can give is to simplify things - don't get caught up in worrying about others. If you put in the hard work yourself then the results will come.
Make sure you check out Angus on Instagram to follow along and support his sporting journey!
