Surf lifesaver and swimmer Ivy Miller is channelling her childhood passion for watersports into a quest for Olympic gold.
And four years at the Illawarra Academy of Sports (IAS) have helped the 16-year-old push closer to her goal.
Ivy comes from a family with a strong history in water sports: her dad competed on the world bodyboarding tour, her aunt and uncle in the Nutri-Grain IronWoman and IronMan Series respectively, and her nan was a Surf Life Saving coach.
Ivy started to learn to swim at age two and became a nipper in the under-7s Kiama Downs Surf Lifesaving Club.
“Even with this strong background I still fell in love with both swimming and surf life saving as I feel at home in the water,” Ivy said.
As Ivy became older, her competitive nature kicked in and she focused on wanting to become the best at the two sports she loved.
“I am a bit of a competitive person so taking the extra step to enter into the world of sport wasn’t hard and was extremely rewarding,” Ivy said.
“I enjoy the hard work that gets put into training and the rewarding results that come after the hard work.
“Not only this but it has opened up a whole new side to sport, which allows me to connect with people all over Australia and meet so many other amazing athletes.”
Impressed by the progress of IAS participants, Ivy joined at the end of 2020, enjoying the gym programs and webinars covering nutrition and women's sports history.
“One of my teammates had joined the IAS and she was getting some really good support and education from them,” Ivy said.
“So the next year I decided to apply for a scholarship as I wanted to continue furthering my sporting career and I realised that this would be a great way to do this."
At the IAS, Ivy likes connecting with fellow athletes the most. Events such as SAVVY Fitness Day and IAS Team Day foster these connections, while the Future Stars Program offers sport-specific mental and physical training.
“I believe that the Future Stars Program is an amazing opportunity for all young athletes within the Illawarra,” Ivy said.
“The program brings together so many athletes from different sporting backgrounds, allowing us to connect and learn from each other.
“They offer us essential tools to develop an athlete – not just the competition part but all the aspects of being a professional athlete.”
Ivy's recent achievements are a clear indication of her hard work and dedication: she placed 3rd in the 2023 NSW State Surf Life Saving Championships Under 17s Surf Race, 1st in the 4x100 medley relay, and 4th in 50m and 200m Backstroke at the 2023 Australian Age Swimming Championships.
She also claimed the 2023 Lonestar Athlete of the Year title and secured 1st place in 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke at both the 2023 Australian All Schools Swimming Championships and the 2023 NSW State Age Championships. One event that sticks in her mind is the 2019 NSW State Surf Life Saving Championships, when her team placed 3rd in the under-12s board relay.
“This was amazing as we didn’t expect to achieve this at all,” Ivy said.
“Everyone was extremely excited and happy, it was amazing to celebrate afterwards.”
Ivy recently placed 3rd in the 16 years 200 backstroke and 4th in the 16 years 100 backstroke at the Australian Age Championships.
At the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, held on the Sunshine Coast from April 13-21, Ivy achieved a second place in the U17 surf race.
One day Ivy would like to compete against the world's best athletes.
“The dream would be making it to the Olympics in the next few Games, as it would be incredible to race on the international stage as well as representing Australia with pride,” Ivy said.
