Lucky's "unfinished business" in Paris

Lakeisha Patterson has “unfinished business” in Paris – despite already being a World, Paralympic and Commonwealth champion.

‘Lucky’ is currently with the Australian swimming team in Chatres, an hour south of Paris, finetuning her bids for more gold.

But, the Caboolture-based star said, before flying to France for the Games (August 28-September 8): "I feel like I'm not done yet.

“I want to keep chasing success, challenging myself and my limits every day, because I know there’s more in there.”

Best chance for Lucky - who trained at Southern Cross, Lawnton, Burpengary and is now with the Paralympic hub at UniSC - probably comes first.

On Thursday, the Paralympic 400m freestyle S8 champion in Rio 2016 will start the defence of her 400m freestyle S9 title from Tokyo 2020.

She follows that with the 100m freestyle S9 and 200m individual medley S9, which yielded silver and bronze in Rio.

“People see your past success and come to expect success,” said Lucky, who has epilepsy and cerebral palsy left hemiplegia (affecting the left-side of her body).

“But it’s important to take a step back (from that pressure) and just control what I can control each day.

“The nerves and emotions are there, but as athletes, I think we’re often in a cycle of ‘okay ticked that box now onto the next thing'.

“It’s a rollercoaster at times, but I’ve learned to trust the process and enjoy it. A happy swimmer is a fast swimmer!”

Bribie resident Harley Connolly, Lucky's coach at Lawnton, Burpengary and now the Sunshine Coast, is with the Australian team in France.

He said it's "behind-the-scenes stuff" which gets swimmers onto the team and then "towards the dream of being a Paralympic gold medallist".

"They are had really good preparation going into the trials and put plans together well. I know they do everything possible to perform the best they can."

Lucky started swimming at Bribie Island Aquatic Centre aged three, to help muscle stiffness due to cerebral palsy and improve water safety.

Her first major medal was bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle S8 at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She was just 15.

Relay gold followed in the 2015 World Championships and a year later Lucky set a world record in winning the 400m freestyle S8 gold in Rio.

Two more golds came from the 2018 Commonwealth Games and another in the 2019 World Championship 400m freestyle S9, which she defended last year.

But past success is no guarantee and Lucky has a "new Games plan for every Games” – especially following the impact of COVID.

“Tokyo was tough,” she said, “a four-year cycle turned into five and now a three-year cycle going into Paris. You have to shift and adapt.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned in the last 12 months is listen to my body and mind. Just focus on where I’m at, do my best and keep working hard.

“I am very excited (going to Paris). Any opportunity to represent Australia is such a privilege and honour. The Paralympics is unlike anything else.

“This time I’ll have some of my family there who haven’t watched me at a Paralympics before. I’m excited for them.”