Brianna Throssell burst onto the swimming scene at the 2014 Youth Olympics, winning seven bronze medals. In 2016, Brianna represented Australia at the 2016 Olympics and was a member of the 4x200 metre freestyle relay team which broke the world record. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Brianna won a gold medal as part of the 4x100 Medley Relay Team. Outside of the pool, Brianna is a business student. She joined us by Teams from sunny, non-locked down Perth to speak to our Year 12 cohort on 2 September.

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Brianna spoke with relatable examples about teamwork and motivational strategies. She likened the school team of the student, class and teacher to the swimmer coach and swim team; where there are many people working together as one to achieve the end goal.

Small sacrifices add up, as you get out what you put in. The feeling on the other side when you have achieved your goal is amazing, the sacrifices are all worth it. While its important to stay focused, having a healthy balance ensures the work you put in pays off toward your goal.

Brianna gave us insights into how she prepared for an Olympics in lockdown when pools were closed. She remained focused to be her best and be ready and to do this stuck to a routine and challenged herself in different ways, both physically and mentally. She took to running and took on extra mental challenges at uni and made a point to stay connected with her team every day.

Our students then had the chance to ask questions. One of the key learnings for our students as they face exams was around prioritising. When faced with an overwhelming task, compartmentalise things by breaking them down into smaller manageable chunks.

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We thank Brianna for her motivational talk and wish her future success.

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