Jemma Smith
21
YEARS OLD
NSW
NEWPORT SLSC
7th
2020/2021 SERIES
ski
STRENGTH
Bio
Racing under the same club as she started at as a 5 year old Nipper, Jemma Smith hails from the Central Coast of New South Wales and is heavily involved in Umina SLSC thanks to her long family tradition with the club. Smith is an Australian Lifesaving Team Representative, two–time Australian Life Saving Championship Female Competitor of the Carnival, as well as a 16-time Australian Champion across both lifesaving and surf events the Aussies. The 21-year-old is also a three-time winner of the Surf Life Saving Australia National Youth Athlete of the Year and in 2019 became the U23 World Champion at the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships in France.
Jemma, how old were you when youstarted surf lifesaving and why?
I was 5 years old when I start Surf Life Saving in nippers at Umina SLSC. My family has always been heavily involved in SLS, my grandfather and mum are life members of Umina, so my involvement grew from there.
Who is your greatest competition in the 2020/21 Iron Series?
Everyone- in surf when the calibre of athletes is so high, anyone has the potential to be successful.
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
Try your best in everything you do.
Your advice for aspiring Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain athletes?
Be patient, and never give up.
What do you think about during a race?
What I am doing at the time- I try to focus on the present and not get caught up about what else is going on.
Jemma, what has been a high and low in your IronWoman journey?
High: Winning Round 1 of the 2017/18 Nutri-Grain Series whilst in the middle of doing my HSC exams.
Low: Not a particular moment in time, but its always frustrating when you get caught by a wave with other people and they pass you.
Do you have any race day superstitions?
Not really… I like to do the same warmup before each race though.
Do you have a secret talent?
I can cook a pretty good runny poached egg…