This is not the first time the teenager has left home to follow her dreams.
Invercargill teenager Ruby Goodall travelled to the Singapore Open last year as part of Artistic Swimming New Zealand’s Koru Performance squad and returned home clutching medals.
Last Friday she and the New Zealand Koru Artistic Swimming team flew to Dubai for the Artistic Swimming World League which begins tomorrow.
"I was nervous at first but after a week of training up here in Auckland with my team, I’m feeling a lot more confident now, Ruby said."
The hard-working teenager is the only athlete to represent Southland and the sole swimmer from Phoenix Synchro Southland to compete for her club on the global swimming stage.
"I just want to represent my team and my club well," the teen said.
Eighteen countries will be represented at the competition which has attracted 800 participants.
"One of our routines we only just put together in our October camp so it was a very short timeframe but the girls have done very well to pick it up, New Zealand Koru Artistic Swimming," head coach Keila Patino said.
More than 3000 visitors will witness the competition, and VIP guests will include world and Olympic champions, Olympic referees, members of the UAE government and charity organisations.
"There are some very strong countries participating such as Russia and the US.
Just getting to see them and their level of expertise will be awesome and pretty inspiring for our girls.
We have eight swimmers from 13 to 18 which was a really good range, Ms Patino said.
The head coach herself was inspired by her talented younger members.
She saw how the difference in ages brought out the best in the team.
"We have quite a range of personalities and you’d think that that would come with some challenges, but they all get along really well and they work so hard together.
We were able to choreograph routines together which is unusual because usually it is up to the coaches or Artistic Swimming New Zealand to lead the performances.
I hope that we medal."
The Artistic Swimming World League is held on December 12-15 in Hamdan Sports Complex, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
