Before competing at two Olympic Games and standing on international podiums, Olympian Elka Whalan was a four-year-old eager to jump into the pool.
Start Your Journey Here: Elka Whalan on Taking the First Step
Before she represented Australia, stood on international podiums and competed at two Olympic Games, Elka Whalan was simply a four-year-old who wanted to get in the pool.
When her parents took her to swimming lessons, the coach told her she was too young to join.
Many children would have accepted the answer.
Elka didn't.
Years later, she recalled jumping into the next lane and swimming anyway. It wasn't about proving anyone wrong. She simply knew she loved being in the water and wanted to be part of it. Even at four years old, she knew where she belonged.
That decision became the very first step in a journey that would take her further than she could have imagined.
Looking back, it's easy to see the Olympian.
But at the beginning, there were no medals, no national teams and no crowds cheering from the stands.
There was just a young girl learning.
Learning how to swim.
Learning how to listen to coaches.
Learning how to keep going when things felt hard.
Learning how to improve one day at a time.
Like every child who joins their first sporting program, Elka started with the basics. The skills she developed weren't built in a single lesson. They came through practice, patience and the willingness to keep showing up
One of the most important lessons sport taught Elka wasn't how to win.
It was how to trust.
Trusting her coaches to teach her.
Trusting the people around her to support her.
Trusting that improvement would come if she stayed committed and kept learning.
And most importantly, trusting herself.
As the years passed, Elka's goals grew bigger. She dreamed of representing Australia and competing against the world's best swimmers. The path wasn't always easy, but she remained focused on the next training session, the next skill, and the next opportunity to improve.
That's what makes her story so relevant for young people today.
Success rarely happens overnight.
Confidence is built through experience.
Skills are built through repetition.
And resilience is built by continuing when something doesn't go to plan.
Through years of dedication and hard work, Elka became one of Australia's leading freestyle swimmers.
She represented Australia at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games and was part of Australia's Olympic silver medal-winning 4x200m freestyle relay program at Sydney 2000. She also won medals at World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships throughout her career.
Yet even with those achievements, the lessons that shaped her success were the same ones she began learning as a child: focus, discipline, consistency and the courage to keep going.
The Olympic medals came later.
The habits came first.
Not every child who jumps into a pool will become an Olympian.
And that's not the point.
The point is that every child deserves the opportunity to discover what they're capable of.
Sport gives young people a chance to build confidence, learn new skills, develop friendships and experience the satisfaction that comes from improving through effort. In safe and supportive environments, children learn that mistakes are part of learning, challenges can be overcome and progress is something to celebrate.
Those lessons stay with them long after the game finishes or the swimming race is over.
Elka Whalan's story began with a simple decision.
She took the first step.
Not because she knew where it would lead, but because she was curious, excited and willing to try.
Every child's sporting journey begins the same way.
With one lesson.
One session.
One attempt.
One chance to discover something new.
Because before every athlete represents their country, they're just a child who starts somewhere.
Ready to help a young person start their story? Explore Y NSW Learn to Play programs today.
This article is part of Y NSW's Start Your Journey Here campaign, celebrating how community sport helps children build confidence, skills, resilience and a lifelong love of being active
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