Former world champion breaststroke swimmer and Barcelona Olympian Linley Frame, 43, current world 100m backstroke silver medallist Madison Wilson, 21, and Matson Lawson, 23, a backstroker who competed at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2013 swimming world championships, spoke to more than 100 young swimmers from around the state.

The trio talked about the highs and lows of swimming, and presented Swimming Australia’s new national program, entitled Beyond the Black Line.

Frame explained: ‘‘This program addresses the feelings and emotions that swimmers go through, the hard times in the pool as well as the many life skills that swimming teaches.

‘‘It looks at how swimming helps with things like goal setting, picking yourself up when things go wrong and coping with pressure, communication and conflict.’’

Also part of the packed program was former Swimming Australia head coach Leigh Nugent, now Swimming Tasmania’s technical director, who highlighted the importance of athletes being both highly motivated and of getting satisfaction from the sport.

‘‘Swimming takes an enormous amount of effort just to be average,’’ Nugent said.

‘‘No one goes to footy training at five o’clock in the morning.’’

He said that the pathway to national representative level was a long haul with only 36 people making the Olympic team once every four years. 

But this should not stop swimmers from striving to achieve their ultimate goals.

He also said that while many parents considered swimming an expensive sport, his own children had opted to pursue horse riding, a more costly option still.

Swimming Tasmania also presented its annual awards at the community day.

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