As Marcus Ryan has gotten older, the distance he swims has also increased.
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So much so that when the 16-year-old competes in the men's open 800-metre freestyle at the 2021 NSW Country Championships on the weekend, it will be a step back in distance compared to his recent exploits.
Ryan had his first competitive open water swim last month, where he nailed a qualifying time for the open water nationals for the 16-years five-kilometre event.
While it was Ryan's first competitive race at that distance, the Tamworth City swimmer has covered those kilometres plenty of times in the pool.
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"We train distance on the weekend - we might swim 10km. It's a long distance but it's worth it just to know you can do that 5km and finish strong," Ryan said.
He added: "It felt amazing. All that training, all those hours in the pool and out of the pool really paid off."
While Ryan had that feeling of achievement after the swim, there was a couple things he couldn't feel.
"I couldn't feel my arms or my legs after finishing the 5km but it's a good feeling knowing that you've given it everything," he said.
The Calrossy student plans to step up even further in the future with 7.5-kilometre and 10-kilometre races in mind.
But first, Ryan is focusing on swimming in the pool.
He said pool swimming is his preference over ocean swimming, at the moment, as he prepared for the country championships this weekend.
Ryan has qualified for three individual events, as well as one relay, and will be one of 24 Tamworth City swimmers to compete at the titles.
"I feel good heading into the championships - I'm feeling really good in the water," he said.
The 2021 championships will be held from Friday through to Sunday at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
The open water nationals will then be held at Lake Kawana on the Sunshine Coast on March 13 and 14