Cameron Gray (19)

19 year old 2022 Commonwealth Games

Swimming Bronze Medallist and former Westlake Boys pupil Cameron Gray is the recipient of an AIMES Sport Award in 2023.

Cameron medalled in Butterfly at the Birmingham Games, but is a real swimming all-rounder – he also competes in Backstroke, Freestyle and the Medley. Cameron currently holds NZ records in Open 50m Butterfly (Long Course); Open 50m Freestyle (Short Course); 18 Year old 50m Butterfly (Long Course); 18 Year old 100m Freestyle (Long Course); 17 Year old 50m Backstroke (Short Course); 15 Year old 50m Backstroke (Short Course); 15 Year old 50m Butterfly (Long Course); 15 Year old 100m Backstroke (Long Course).

Cameron was a 2022 Halberg Awards

Emerging Athlete Finalist and was also named Harbour Junior Sportsman of the Year for 2022.

Cameron joined the North Shore Swimming Club at age 8 and trains under 2008 Olympian Andy McMillan, who he says has had a huge influence on his achievements to date and is also helping him to pave his future.

His focus is now firmly on three goals – reaching the 2024 Paris Olympic Games final; and winning golds at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and 2028 Olympic Games.

He says he is training between 21-24 hours per week depending on the kind of training cycle at that certain time which consists of 9 swim sessions and 3 gym sessions. He does all of his training at AUT Millennium which he describes as “an excellent facility with everything I could need to push myself to the limit.”

Since leaving school in 2021, Cameron says he’s made major changes to the way he lives – cutting out distractions, changing diet and habits, and striving to be the best version of himself without too many sophisticated ambitions. He says this mentality towards swimming is his X-factor and without a doubt will play a powerful part in reaching his goals.

“If the 2022 Commonwealth Games has taught me anything, it’s that special things can happen in finals”.

Cameron says that the AIMES Award grant funds will be used to assist with him reaching his goals in swimming. His coach has planned a month long trip this year which will involve high intensity training at extreme altitudes to increase his red blood cell count. AIMES Award grant funds will go towards this trip.