If the former Port Macquarie teenager’s performance on the Gold Coast is any indication, she’s well on the way to achieving just that.

Leonhardt was beaten by Pascoe in the 100-metre breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games last Monday in the narrowest of margins.

She was beaten by a hand as her progression up the swimming ranks continued.

It indicated that the gap between Pascoe, the nine-time Paralympic gold medallist and Leonhardt was closing.

“Some people have asked me if I want to be the next Sophie Pascoe and I don’t want to be the next Sophie Pascoe,” Leonhardt said.

“I want to be the next Paige Leonhardt, but I want to be able to achieve the things that Sophie has done.”

Pascoe is renowned as being the most successful female Paralympian which some would see as being tough on Leonhardt, but she sees it as a challenge.

The 25-year-old New Zealander is Leonhardt’s main rival, but the experience in Queensland allowed them to strike up a friendship.

Leonhardt will celebrate her 18^th birthday on September 21 and has previously seen Pascoe as being on another level – now she realises that isn’t the case.

“Being on the podium with her and getting a hug from her is the memory I’ll take away because I’ve never met Sophie in person,” Leonhardt said.

“It is really nice to now be able to go to meets and talk to her before and after competition because she has always been someone I’ve looked up to.”

Leonhardt’s silver-medal performance wasn’t the only lasting memory of her 11-day Commonwealth Games journey.

She said competing in an outdoor pool for the first time had been a challenge, but one she enjoyed.

“It was a bit strange because I was concerned leading in because there were different things in my mind like having no roof, being outside, the weather could be cold or really hot,” she said.

“You had to focus on your own performance and not on those factors that could impact on your performance.

“It was a good experience and I did enjoy swimming outside for the first time.”

She also had the opportunity to get to know renowned Australian swimming sisters Bronte and Cate Campbell better.

The trio now train at Chandler alongside the 2016 Rio Paralympian after the Hastings teenager headed up there 12 months ago.

“I’m a shy person so don’t really go up to people that much, but I went up to Bronte and Cate and they’re wonderful people,” Leonhardt said.

“You don’t really understand what they are like unless you go and have a conversation with them.

“It’s kind of hard with any athlete because you want to talk about anything other than swimming. It was nice to see what they like to do.”

The foundation has now been set for the Pan Pacific Swimming Championship Trials where Leonhardt will trial with the able-bodied athletes on July 1-4 in Adelaide.

She experienced the World Championships in Mexico last year and she set a new world record at the short-course championships before that.

“The Commonwealth Games experience made me realise what I’m hungry for and what I want to achieve,” Leonhardt said.

“I wanted to achieve a personal best in the 200 IM, but in the 100 breast stroke I was really going for the gold medal because I knew I was capable of it and I knew I had the time to do it.

“Sometimes you have to focus on what you really want.”