I booked my place to the Paris Olympics “early” – in May 2023, less than two months after the qualifying window opened. In reality, to me, that ticket arrived several years later than planned.

Many would know that I missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo Games by a mere 0.1 seconds. For years of toil to come down to such a slim margin, it cut like a knife. But it wasn’t for nothing.

As much as I yearned for the Olympics, that setback made me see how I shouldn’t chase a dream for the sake of it. I gathered myself and redirected my focus to Paris. But getting there only got harder. The bar became even higher, and I had to find my way through the demands of national service and college.

There were many dark moments. But if Tokyo taught me anything, it was how to put a bad race behind you. I now know better how to turn disappointment into fuel, so I just kept picking myself up, kept looking forward.

Missing Tokyo was painful. But it made me a stronger person, a better athlete and a happier swimmer – and it showed me the path to Paris.