Personal Statement
I believe the meaning of my given name, Sirhaan, which means fighter, has given me the drive to dream big and never give up without a fight. My parents started me off with swimming to be pool-safe at 11 months old, and my passion for it grew over the years. I started swimming in gala's at nine years old and have since joined my school team, set new records at my Junior and High schools, joined a swimming club, and represented my country at three African events and my province for six consecutive years. I have also tried sports like rugby, soccer, athletics, judo, cross-country running, and cricket, but I always return to swimming. I won the gold medal in the 100 m fly, and the silver medal in the 50m fly at my first national swimming championship at the age of 12 when no one expected me to, as my coach and I were unknown at Nationals. It was one of my proudest moments because my win meant that my swimming club and coach were being recognized for producing talented swimmers, and we were not just a development club with swimmers of color. These wins made me believe that I could dream bigger!
My dream is to one day be an Olympic swimmer. Still, to get there, I need to get coaching from the best coaches out there. I believe that studying in the USA to get an excellent education with a great college and coupled with coaching from the best coaches will assist me in realizing my dream. I have an interest to pursue a degree in either of these fileds: Business, Electrical Engineering or Marine Biology.
Lastly, I want to pay forward by giving back to the underprivileged kids in my community by coaching them when I finish my degree whilest taking my swimming career further. I will be a valued asset to any team with my excellent work ethic, good team player, and drive to achieve my goals.
