By Joshua Papanikolaou (PSG Staff)
The extended family of local swimmer Connor Brink are in town to watch him compete at the 2017 Pacific School Games including his grandfather who has travelled from South Africa for just the second time in a decade for the occasion.
Derrick Wood made just his second trip to Australia from his home in Cape Town to visit his family and watch his grandson compete at the 10th edition of the Games.
A supporter pass won in competition at the Adelaide Show by Brink’s cousin Cara Killin, who also is a talented swimmer and is a volunteer this week at the pool, meant they could attend as a family.
Outside of her volunteer duties Cara will be at the Games with her mother Sharon who is overjoyed that her father will be joining them to watch Brink compete in backstroke, breaststroke and two relays.
“I’ve watched him (Connor) start from the Little Dolphins and now he is competing at a high level, it’s good,” Sharon Killin said.
“Cara will be helping out at the swimming events as a volunteer and my father arrived last week from Africa, and so he can actually watch my nephew compete and see how all the kids are doing.
“He has been here before and he loves it and he would love to live here if he had the chance.
“Oh yeah it will be great, because obviously we haven’t seen very much of him, I’ve only seen him once in the last eight years.”
Brink, 11, is in the top five swimmers for his age group in South Australia and competes for Marion Swimming Club along with his older cousin Cara who is from Aberfoyle Park.
Killin actually received tickets to the Adelaide Show at the ceremony where the family became Australian citizens and then happened to win the supporter passes to the Pacific School Games.
“We actually got tickets to the Adelaide Show when we became Australian citizens, so that’s how we ended up at the Show,” Killin explained with a laugh.
“We went to the Opening Ceremony and she (Cara) wants to go to watch her friends play netball, volleyball and some of the diving.
“Obviously, I will be her chaperone but it’s lovely because are all here.”