FOR SWIMMER Bryn Bowen, nothing compares to the feeling of racing.
"It makes you feel like you have superpowers," said Mr Bowen, 20, who has been swimming competitively since he was 12 and is a member of the University of Newcastle's Elite Athlete Education Network.
"I just love working every day towards getting better and having that end goal at the end of a season, swimming and looking up and seeing you've gone faster than you ever have before - that's what drives me," he said.
Mr Bowen is now planning to take his training to the next level, after he was one of five athletes invited to join the NUsport Performance Hub, which is operating from UON's recently refurbished The Forum Sports and Aquatic Centre swimming pool on Callaghan campus. Previously, the closest hub for swimmers was in Sydney.
The hub was created in partnership with Swimming NSW and the NSW Institute of Sport.
The two agencies are co-funding the employment of high-performance coach Sander Ganzevles - who has previously held coaching roles with the German and Dutch swimming federations and most recently with the Cairns Stingrays - to lead the hub program and help local coaches develop.
Mr Bowen said he had already seen an improvement after one month training with Mr Ganzevles in the hub.
"It's a step up from amateur training or as an amateur athlete to a more professional [standard]."
He said he does nine mandatory and targeted swim sessions and three gym sessions a week, up from his previous seven to eight swim sessions and two or three gym sessions a week, some of which were optional.
He said the swim sessions were now at 7am instead of 5am and the squad was smaller.
"We're getting more coaching out of each session, every session is individualised to make me better," he said.
"I was ready to take my training to the next level... I'm enjoying moving up and it's good to have a change."
NUsport chief executive officer Deborah Wright said NUsport had strong relationships with Swimming NSW and the NSW Institute of Sport and had positioned the refurbished pool - which opened last June - as a potential venue for more competitive meets and tournaments.
She said lots of local swimmers had to travel to Sydney and elsewhere for training.
"If we hadn't had the investment from the university... we wouldn't be in the position to offer this program," Ms Wright said.
"To be able to realise this program in such a short period of time has been terrific.
"We're not forecasting lots of numbers, it's a really targeted pathway program for elite and sub-elite athletes to come through and develop and those that are identified will have the capability to very much represent Australia.
"Realising their full potential without the added pressure of having to travel or leave home presents a really great opportunity."
Swimming NSW president Chris Fydler OAM said the hub would help create better opportunities for swimmers across NSW.
"Swimming NSW has recently launched its new strategic plan with a key goal to create more first choice performance environments for NSW swimmers across the state and we are delighted to launch our newest performance centre at the UON," he said.
"Having a highly engaged infrastructure partner in NUsport along with strong support from NSWIS and the local swimming community made the process of selecting a place for our newest program simple and we are excited what the future will hold for the swimmers and coaches of this area."
Mr Bowen made a national final for the first time in August, competing in the 100 metre backstroke in the Australian Short Course Championships.
His goal is to win an Australian title and represent his country.
"I want to be the best I can possibly be, I don't think I can leave this sport knowing I can swim faster or be better."
