It's still baby steps, but teenager Sienna Toohey isn't shying away from her dream of becoming Australia's next swimming golden girl.
With multiple Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown in her corner, the 17-year-old schoolgirl is vying to make her Commonwealth Games debut this year in Glasgow.
Toohey broke on to the scene last year at age 16 after earning a spot in Australia's world championship team.
Hailed as the future of Australian swimming, the Albury teen swam a time of 1:07.24 in the 100m breaststroke heats, but missed out on a semi-final berth in Singapore by 0.24 of a second.
Toohey had been in the same heat as triple Olympian and three-time world record-holder Lily King, who scraped into the semis with a time of 1:06.93.
Having moved to Canberra to pursue her dream, Toohey says McKeown has played a pivotal part in her development, alongside coach Shannon Rollason.
"She took me under her wing and was very open to giving me her secrets and telling me how she handled stuff," Toohey told AAP.
"She started at the same age that I was. Her first race (at world championships) was when she was 16, and mine was when I was 16.
"I relate to her in a lot of ways, and I look up to her so much for what she's done in the swimming world, and I just want to be like her."
Toohey got a glimpse of what could be on Thursday, among eight athletes at the Australian team uniform unveiling at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.
The uniform, including podium and village wear, was designed by Valour Sport and features the "Unity Knit'' - advanced technology that weaves First Nations designs directly into the fabric construction.
Toohey was able to give school a miss to make the uniform reveal with the help of her dad, the school principal.
"They were saying, hopefully, in a couple of months' time, I'll get to put the uniform back on," Toohey told AAP.
"Now, being in it, it's something that I definitely don't want to have to let go without putting on again."
Toohey and Australia's best will look to lock in their spot in Glasgow at next month's swimming trials at Sydney Olympic Park.
Australia has already named a stacked para-swimming squad of 18, headlined by gold medallists Col Pearse and Lakeisha Patterson.
"I think I'm ranked pretty well, if I was to make the team," Toohey said.
"Even just making a semi or a final, it's all experience that I can add to my book.
"A podium is always in the back of my mind, but I try not to put pressure on myself and just keep happy.
"There's this saying 'a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer'."
