Kyle leaves nation’s best swimmers behind

At just 15 years of age, Kyle Lee is a national swimming champion.

The Bunbury Swimming Club member won the boys 16 years 5km swim at the Australian Open Water Championships in Adelaide at the weekend, beating some of country’s finest young swimmers in the process.

Yet the humble teenager did not believe he was capable of such a win and only knew on the last lap that he had taken the lead.

“I was very excited and happy to achieve what I did,” he said.

“I didn’t expect to do anything amazing.”

Kyle said the flat conditions suited his swimming and he gauged how the other swimmers were doing to set his pace.

“It depends on how you feel, but you just knew what you need to,” he said.

“I knew I was in the front pack, but I didn’t know how everyone else would do towards the end.

“On the straight on the last lap I realised that I was in front. I had a fair bit (left in tank), so it was good.”

Kyle will swim in the national indoor swimming championships and his long-term goal is to make an Australian team.

“But that is all a long time in the future,” he said.