Remember the name Jacob Falconer, because come the 2028 Olympics we could well be calling it from the rooftops.
And if the recent Brisbane Water Secondary College’s swim carnival is anything to go by, the Olympics could certainly be on the cards for the 17-year-old from Umina.
The morning of the swim carnival Falconer told his mum Kylie Lowe he would break every record of every swim he entered.
And he did.
Falconer swam in 10 events and broke the record in all 10 including 50m freestyle (24:87s); 100m freestyle (55:07s); 200m freestyle (2m:03s); 50m breaststroke (34:79s); 100m breaststroke (1m:22s); 50m backstroke (29:54s); 100m backstroke (1m:03s); 50m butterfly (27:59s); 200m medley (2m:20s) and 4x50m freestyle relay (1m:56s).
One record, the 50m breaststroke, was set in 2006 while Falconer broke another, the 50m butterfly, by 300th of a second.
“That’s the one I am most proud of,” Lowe said.
“Jacob is not a butterflyer.”
Lowe has much to be proud of as her son has revelled in his passion for swimming since he was a small child when his mum decided he and his sister Ebony needed learn-to-swim classes.
“Because of where we live they needed to learn how to swim, but I always said that by the time they got to squad it was up to them if they wanted to keep going.”
Falconer joined Woy Woy Swim Club at 10 years of age where he has been coached by Graham Carroll ever since.
He has excelled at all levels of competitive swimming including making the National All Schools meet last year swimming against the very best swimmers in Australia.
“It’s very exciting; he has big dreams,” Lowe said.
“He won’t be ready for Paris, but the 2028 games are definitely on his radar.”
Falconer is also a patrolling member of Ocean Beach Surf Club and teaches swimming at the local pool.
“He has such a passion for swimming,” Lowe said.
“The swim community is so supportive, I love it and the Coast community.”
Denice Barnes