WHO would have thought that an eight-year-old girl who almost drowned would become a name synonymous with swimming in Fiji.
But that is the story of Sharon Pickering-Smith, the original water baby who is now a water mum.
In the 70s, 80s and 90s, she was the poster girl for swimming and her achievements in the sport is one that is yet to be surpassed by any swimmer.
It was in 1976 when, Sharon almost drowned. Her parents enrolled her in a swimming class, that was the beginning of a beautiful journey that would end in the 90s.
“A couple of years later, I won the best swimmer award at Veiuto Primary School and that really got me into the sport. I then joined the Dolphins Swimming with Mr Peterson as the coach at the Olympic Swimming Pool,” Sharon said.
“I just grew from there. My first major swimming competition was in 1979 the South Pacific Games, I was 11 years old.
“I just loved training, every morning, every afternoon. I used to do 11 sessions a week. And if I didn’t train, I would feel terrible. It was also exercise for me because back then I was really chubby and had a little potbelly.
“It was also a social thing as I made friends. Then it was high school in Suva Grammar. I kept on training and made it to more international events. It was the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, then in Form Six, I went to the 1984 Olympics.
“It was very hard to do both swimming and school but lucky for me I had very supportive parents who stood by me and were there when I needed them. Swimming was everything to me. After finishing school, I straight went into coaching.
“My first Pacific Games medals came in 1987 in New Caledonia where I won two gold medals, two silver and two bronze including two games record. After that it was in 1991 in Papua New Guinea, I came back with seven silver medals.
“There was this one girl from Tahiti who beat me in everything.”
A year later, Sharon had her revenge. She returned from the French Polynesia Games and returned with 10 gold medals and two silver medals.
“1992 was also the last Olympic Games I went to. That was my best year because I think I was matured. I came back with six national records. After that I threw in my togs and seriously went into coaching,” she added.
Two years later Sharon married Shane Smith. The couple have three children. The eldest Jack,21, is studying in Australia and has represented Fiji in cricket.
Sharon’s daughter Brooke, 17, was named in this year’s swimming squad and the youngest Sean,14, also swims.
“Shane was a hockey rep and by chance he was friend of my sister. Her husband played hockey with Shane. We met in 1989 and married after being together for five years,” she said.
Sharon admitted that it was a very tough task raising a family and being involved in coaching especially when the ones she was coaching were national athletes.
“I am so thankful that I have a loving and understanding husband who understands how much of a passion swimming is to me. I am also blessed that Brooke is into swimming as well,” she said.
“I have to wake up at 4.30am every morning so I miss out on a couple of things in the morning.”
After Sharon, Caroline Puamau and Matelita Buadromo have made a name for themselves but none have been able to leave behind a legacy like hers.
“I think times are changing and everybody is catching up with one another. Our time we didn’t have the distractions, the Village Six, the O’Riellys, we didn’t have that. There were no issues such as internet and computer games,” she said.
“We had our friends and we had training. All we did was just swim. Now they have the latest gadgets and they are drifting off when they come to a certain age. Some go to other sports. It is also the peer pressure.
“As a coach I am finding it hard to keep the kids interested because they get bored and pulled away to another sport. So you have to keep the swimmers interested.
“Caroline and Carl Probert are still part of the squad but there is a gap between them and the current lot of answers. I think we have realised now that we have to focus on younger kids. I think there was not much focus on development and we have realised that.
“So now if you will find we have younger swimmers too and they will develop into the next lot of national swimmers.”
The swim team which is coached by Sharon is going to the Pacific Games in July. As a coach she has been very busy with getting the swimmers competition ready.
It will be a tough task going against New Caledonia, who with their French influence have been dominating swimming.
PNG are also coming prepared and are looking to win maximum medals and dominate all sports. Pacific legend Ryan Pene will lead the assault in the pool.
“We have swimmers who are doing very good times. I am sure that Fiji has a chance to win. The swimmers to PNG are achieving the medal times but at the same time we are wary that other swimmers must also be doing the same.
“But the team is training. I am sure that the dedication and hard work done by each member of the team will be rewarded.”
Sharon had competed and won in the Pacific Games and other regional championships since she was 11, at 17 she had been to her first Olympic Games, two more Olympic appearances followed and she was twice named Sportswoman of the Year.
For Sharon hard work and being truthful to training had seen her achieve this milestone, that was when she was a water baby.
Now as a water mum, she is using the same principles to develop more Fijian swim champions.
