Fresh from her first Rio experience at the Paralympic Games in September last year, Leonhardt is now about to embark on her second competitive overseas adventure.

The talented 16-year-old has been named in the Australian swimming team for the world championships in Mexico.

It comes after a solid showing in the pool last week where she emerged with five gold medals at the national titles.

She said she still missed her friends in the Hastings, but was confident the decision to move north of the border was the right one.

The results speak for themselves.

“I think this time going into a world championship I won’t be going into it as a 15-year-old girl who has never been overseas before and has never done anything in that area,” she said.

“I’m a bit more experienced and can now call myself a paralympian going into another world games and am now considered one of those elite athletes.

“I’m not an amateur going in not knowing what I’m doing this time.”

Leonhardt will spent the next week on a cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, but when she returns her preparations for Mexico will step up a notch.

Coach Jeremy Wardrop said the biggest challenge the 16-year-old would face would be adapting to competing at altitude.

Mexico is more than 2000 metres above sea level which means competitors will have less oxygen available when competing.

“Mexico is at 2300 metres so it is very high compared to what we have here,” Wardrop said.

“The best way to describe it is like jumping on a push bike and going for a ride wearing a snorkel.

“It’s trying to perform at that elite level with less oxygen which makes it very difficult to hit the mark.”

Leonhardt’s coaching staff have put plans in place to ensure she is as prepared as well as she can be.

“It’s going to really effect everybody other than the Mexicans so we’ve got our tents booked in and she’ll have eight weeks sleeping in an altitude tent before she gets on the plane,” Wardrop said.

“The best we can do with preparation is with altitude tents and the program will work her from 2000 metres to 3000 metres so we’re going to go higher than Mexico in that last block before she goes over.”

Wardrop was confident Leonhardt could continue her current golden run on the world stage.

“To win gold … anything is possible,” he said.

“But I’ve definitely got the plan for her to get a podium finish.”