Caitlin Deans and Cecilia Crooks are about to test themselves against some of Australia's best young swimmers.
They are two of 39 New Zealanders set to compete in the Australian state team age-group short-course championships in Canberra starting on Friday.
Deans (15) and Crooks (14) earned their spots in the side after impressing at the national short-course championships in Auckland last month.
Deans, a Columba College pupil, will compete in the 15-16 years 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle, and the 400m individual medley.
She won the 400m freestyle at the national secondary schools championships in Auckland last weekend, and is confident she can perform well on the back of her recent good form.
''I'm hoping to do some good times, some personal-bests, to make the finals and push for a medal or around the top five,'' she said.
''I had a really good year in 2013, but since then this has been really good. Training has been going really well.''
Crooks will compete in the 13-14 years 200m and 400m individual medley, as well as the 400m and 800m freestyle.
The St Hilda's Collegiate pupil snared two silver medals and one bronze medal in Auckland last week and cannot wait to represent New Zealand for the first time in Canberra.
''I'm really, really excited because this is my first international competition. It's my first time representing New Zealand and I can't wait.
''I'm hoping to do personal-bests in all my races.''
Deans and Crooks represent the Neptune club and are coached by Swim Dunedin coach Gennadiy Labara, who usually complete eight sessions a week with them.
He has coached Deans the past three years, while Crooks has been improving under his watch for five years.
Labara said the pair were part of a new generation of Dunedin swimmers coming through the ranks, and believes they are in a good position to push for some top-six finishes in Canberra.
''It's a good experience for them to represent their country.
''The next step is going to serious competition such as Oceania championships or junior pan pacific championships.''
At the conclusion of the meet in Canberra on Sunday, Deans will head to Rotorua for a week-long national distance camp, made up of the top five ranked national age-group champions over 800m and 1500m, and the top five ranked open water champions over 5km and 10km.
Crooks will attend a four-day national age-group camp at Moana Pool from next Tuesday.
