Champion swimmer Hamish McLean has just been selected to represent New Zealand at the 2019 World Paraswimming Championships in London. It’s not his first outing at “the Worlds”. Indeed he’s an experienced international competitor having trained or competed in Australia, England, Scotland, Spain, Germany, the United States and Brazil.

He now studies in Christchurch but the former Mt Aspiring College (MAC) student still considers Wanaka home.

It’s where his dog Charlie and his mum and dad, Claire and Alastair, live and it’s where he comes to chill. With Wanaka’s new swimming pool he can even keep up his training and still enjoy the benefits of being at home.

Born with achondroplasia, Hamish is a person of short stature who has excelled at something he truly enjoys. He discovered his talent for swimming competitively after his first “meet” as a member of the Wanaka Swim Club. He was 11-years-old when he attended his first national swimming competition and by 15-years-old he was representing New Zealand at “the Worlds” in Glasgow, and a year later at the Paralympics at Rio in 2016.

In Rio he swam in four events - a big ask for an Olympic novice whose name was only added to the team at the eleventh hour.

“I was a little disappointed that I didn't get selected at first. But I had kind of prepared for both situations, if that makes sense,” Hamish said. 

“Training ramped up a lot as soon as I found out. And I had to let the school [MAC] know as I was going to be having a whole term off in the 2016 year.” 

At Rio, Hamish set an Oceania record in the paralympic final of the Men's 400m Freestyle S6, finishing seventh in the event. His goal at these “Worlds” is to improve his personal best times in freestyle and individual medley and qualify for the Paralympics in Tokyo next year where he’s aiming for a podium finish in his specialist events, the 400m freestyle and 200m medley.

He said there’s a big difference between the “Worlds” and the Paralympics. “There are so many more people, as there is more than one sport. It was a little overwhelming at first but you settle in and it is great fun in the end,” he said. 

Hamish (back row, 2nd from right) with his 2019 World Champs team, including Cameron Leslie (left) and Sophie Pascoe(centre). PHOTO: BWMedia

Hamish said he hasn’t been mentored by any one person to achieve the heights he’s climbed but he was lucky to have made some good contacts early in his career.

At his very first national swim meet, he made friends with Sophie Pascoe (New Zealand’s most successful Paralympian with nine gold medals and six silver medals from three Olympics). 

“I’ve always looked up to Sophie and she’s always been very supportive and helpful,” he said. “She invited me to be on her relay team [in 2011] and I was really stoked to be swimming with her.” He’ll be training with Sophie’s coach Roly Crichton in Christchurch in the lead up to these World Championships. 

Another teammate he’s often travelled with to international events over the years is Cameron Leslie (para swimmer and Wheel Blacks (wheelchair rugby) who has represented New Zealand at the Paralympics at Beijing (2008) and Rio, as well as the Worlds 2012.

As with any success story, there’s always been a good deal of struggle, effort and self-discipline required to get there, but Hamish thinks his path to success has benefitted from his start in a small town.

“The Wanaka community has been really good in supporting me,” he said. Everyone at MAC knew him and got behind him when he was fundraising with sausage sizzles outside Wanaka New World; or mini auctions through the Wanaka Swim Club.

He was even offered the use of a private swimming pool for training when Wanaka’s public pool was closed for earthquake strengthening works.

“I don’t think it would be the same in a big city like Christchurch but Wanaka is such a tight-knit community, it’s so much better,” he said. 

Hamish still swims under Wanaka Swim Club’s name. PHOTO: SwimInfo NZ

He has also appreciated the flexibility offered by Canterbury University for him to juggle exams and assignment deadlines while attending national and international meets.

Hamish is studying a four year Bachelor of Engineering with Honours degree at Canterbury. “It’s really interesting and I’m enjoying it but it is hard work with lots of assignments and tests.”

He’s currently leaning towards civil and structural engineering. “My cousin and my uncle are both civil engineers and what they do seems pretty interesting and cool.”

He’s enjoying the challenge of being a student and continuing his training. Bishop Julius Hall was his home for his first year and, together with “a bunch of people I met at the hall”, he’s gone flatting this year. 

“I’m not too bad at cooking and with my training I’m trying to keep a nutritional balance with lots of vegies and pasta. I do need to eat healthily to perform well but I think I’ve got a good balance that works for me.”

Seven swim sessions plus two gym sessions each week is his standard routine and it keeps him at peak performance. “Any more and I start to get sick or injured.” 

Endless hours of training sessions can get quite long and tedious but it’s all worth it in the end, he said. 

“When I’m training I just think about random things; the easy training sets can be relaxing but when you have to turn it up a notch it gets pretty hectic and tiring and all you’re really thinking about is when it’s going to be over.”

Right now, with only eight weeks before the New Zealand team departs for England, Hamish is “just putting in the hard yards”. 

At home, he’s enjoyed swimming at the Wanaka pool, especially being able to relax in the hot pool after training, and has been training with Wanaka Swim Club’s new head coach Cameron Stanley. “He’s a good coach and a very good fit for the Wanaka Swim Club.”

Hamish’s advice to anyone who wants to succeed is to find something they really enjoy and stick at it. “You’ll always do well if you have a passion for it. Don’t be put off when it gets hard; it will pay off in the end.”