Like many athletes, Nicole Turner unexpectedly found herself having to fill the time last year as long-awaited plans and events were put on hold.
The swimmer went into 2020 with the Paralympic Games as the looming target but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she has had to switch her preparations with later this year in mind when the competition does go ahead between 24 August and 5 September.
She had taken a year out of school for 2019-20 in order not to juggle elite sport and education simultaneously but has had to extend that again because of the postponement, the Laois native told RTÉ's Game On as Paralympics Ireland's new fundraising initiative, 'The Next Level’ is launched.
"With the Games being postponed, I took a year out of school," the 18-year-old explained.
"I live in Portarlington in Co Laois and I train in the NAC (National Aquatic Centre) in Blanchardstown and when I was in school 9-4pm but because I train 5-7pm during the week, if I finish school at 4pm, I wouldn't get to the pool in time.
"So after Transition Year which was in 2019, I decided to take the year out of school and just to focus completely on Tokyo.
"But then obviously it got pushed back another year so it was another year out of school for me.
"The whole part of [Paralympics Ireland's The Next Level] campaign is obviously to get help and support ourselves to go to Tokyo but even give the opportunity to the young ones coming through who would be hoping to go to Paris in 2024 and LA in 2028, just to give them the support that they need as well."
The positive this year is that as an elite athlete, she is able to train under the current restrictions unlike the first lockdown last year where she spent two months away from the pool. And it's a relentlessly busy training schedule as she explained - even not counting the commute from Laois to the NAC.
"At the moment, I kind of like it to be honest, because obviously I'm not in school. My busiest day would probably be a Wednesday and I'd have a gym session at 9-10 in the morning and I'd leave my house at quarter past 10. Then I'd swim until 2.30pm and then I'd have a physio appointment and then I'd travel home, eat my dinner and just relax really in the evening."
Having gone to Rio 2016 at the age of just 14 where she reached five finals from five, Turner says she had gone into those Games primarily "for the experience" and with no expectation in comparison to Tokyo.
"It was quite insane and I didn't see that as being so big at the time but when I look back on it, it was obviously a massive achievement," she said.
"Obviously, it is that bit more of a pressure [this year], and to be honest I don't let pressure get to me. But that's just where the mental side of it is. I do have great support behind me with coaching staff and support staff and it's just about the managing and not over-thinking where I can be and just obviously performing my best every day.
"If that gets me to where I want to be, I'll be happy at the end of the day."
