The 22-year-old was back at work at Glenray Industries having competed at the tournament in South Australia where she picked up a silver in the 4x50m relay.

Jessica also finished fifth in the 200m freestyle and sixth in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly.

Her mother, Leanne, was pool side for the entire tournament and said Jessica was very happy with the way she had performed.

“Jessica was delighted, she was really happy to have gone so well,” she said.

“Swimming has been great for her, it has given her something to achieve.

“Jessica doesn’t have many opportunities to compete in individual or team sports and doing this has given her the confidence to achieve many things in life. Also she has made so many friends across NSW and in other states due to her swimming.”

While Jessica was excited to have gone so well, she unfortunately missed out on securing a place on the Australian team for the 2011 Special Olympics.

“Because she didn’t get a gold medal at the nationals she missed out on the opportunity to go to Athens,” Leanne said.

“But Jessica is already talking about training and making the team for the nationals in Melbourne in four years time.”

Jessica was one of 280 members in the NSW team competing at the national games which ran from April 19-24.

The Special Olympics started as a backyard camp and grew into a global movement that has been transforming the lives of people with an intellectual disability for over 40 years.

The movement was pioneered by the late Mrs Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of US President John F Kennedy, whose sister Rosemary Kennedy had an intellectual disability.

In 1962 she invited 75 children with an intellectual disability into her backyard offering them a chance to explore their abilities through sport.

Called Camp Shriver, this backyard activity soon turned into 40 camps across the US and continued across the globe.

As a special treat for the competitors and their families, Mrs Shriver’s son, Tim, gave a speech at the closing ceremony.

Now back home, Leanne said Jessica was more determined than ever to continue her training and preparing for the nationals again in four years time.

“Since starting full time work it has gotten a little hard to keep up the training, but she still loves her sport,” she said.

“Getting to compete at the nationals in South Australia was fantastic and Jessica is already talking about getting into the team again in four years time in Melbourne.”