MOUNT Cotton Paralympian Paige Leonhardt has smashed two swimming world records alongside her Australian teammates at the INAS Global Games.
The 19-year-old, who is about to graduate from Thornland's Carmel College, helped her relay team to a gold medal and a world record in the 4x50m and 4x200m freestyle events at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre last month.
She also blew her competitors out of the water in the 4x100m freestyle relay to claim silver and the 100 metre butterfly for bronze.
Her biggest achievement of the games came on day five when she finished third in the 50 metre breaststroke event despite suffering a dislocated shoulder in the 200 metre butterfly heat earlier in the day.
The injury ruled her out of the Melbourne nationals a week later but her determination to finish on the podium one more time drove her to swim through the pain.
Leonhardt's mother Tanya said she had to receive approval from INAS officials to take part in the event.
"She wanted to compete because breaststroke has always been her thing," she said.
"She told me 'I might be ruled out of the 200 metre but this is only a 50 so let me finish on a high.
"All she wanted was to have a crack and finish and if she finished on the podium then it was a bonus."
The gun swimmer has a busy schedule lined up prior to the Tokyo Paralympics next year.
Her mother said she spent 16 hours a week in the pool and trained for six days straight while at school but expected that to increase as she approached the Paraympics qualifying event in Adelaide where she will trial alongside able-bodied athletes.
She has previous experience at the top level having competed at the Rio Paralympics as a 15-year-old in 2016. She is also a Gold Coast Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
Her first goal is to continue her red-hot form at the state championships next month.
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