Belinda Hocking will be the guest speaker at the Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly’s Sport Star of the Year awards.

FORMER Australian backstroke swimmer Belinda Hocking will be speaking at the Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly’s Sport Star of the Year awards on Friday night. 

Hocking will be speaking about her journey through sport – from living in a regional town to reaching the top of her sporting field. 

Having grown up in Wangaratta in Victoria, Hocking said it was important for her to visit and give back to regional towns. 

“I know what it is like to grow up in a country town and not have as many resources as the city children do,” she said. 

“I think it’s important to give back and make the country children feel supported.”

Hocking said she wanted to motivate young Wimmera athletes to achieve their goals and reiterate that anything is possible. 

“It’s important, for awards like this, to celebrate grassroot sports and reiterate to our young aspiring athletes that they can achieve anything no matter their background or abilities,” she said. 

Hocking said she wanted to show people that athletes were real people. 

“I will be speaking about what is real. I believe that is an important message to get across – athletes may seem like superheroes on television but they are real people with struggles,” she said. 

“A lot of the time the children hear about the accolades we get, but it is often forgotten about how hard it can be sometimes and I think for them its about realising that there is always ups and downs in life and careers.”

Hocking said aspiring athletes need to remember to be themselves and have confidence. 

“They have to be themselves because they can’t control what anyone else does around them. It’s really hard to focus on yourself in life and in a race,” she said. 

“They need to have confidence in themselves. 

“Most people have a good support team in their teachers, coaches and parents. They have to trust in the advice and support they give to have confidence to go into a competition.”

Hocking will visit students from Horsham College, Horsham Primary School, Horsham West and Haven Primary School and Horsham’s St Brigid’s College on Friday. 

She will be talking to elite sport students and offer them insight on what it takes to reach a top level.

Hocking will also be speaking with younger students. 

“For the little ones it’s more of a fun Olympic experience where they get to try on my medals,” she said.