ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Lake Brantley’s Hana Sungail is a rising star inside the pool. In her first year on the varsity swim team last year, she finished fifth in the state championships. But going into her sophomore year, it’s not about competing against other swimmers, but competing against the clock.

"I just want to improve in time," said Sungail. "The placement, it matters to me but not as much as the time. I think as long it’s me against the clock and I just want to improve my time."

During the offseason, Hana worked hard on improving her time in the water and it paid off. In this year’s Florida Summer Senior Championships, she won the 50-meter, the 100-meter and the 200-meter freestyle swim in her age group.

"Winning definitely helps boost your confidence and when you have a confidence boost like that, you just keep on wanting to do the sport, you continue to work hard at practice," she said.

When she was younger, Hana was into dancing, but it was her close relationship with her brother that she decided to dip her toe in the water with swimming.

"I wanted to be like my brother, he swam before me, I used to be a ballerina," said Sungail. "But I just really like my brother and wanted to do everything he wanted to do."

Hana’s brother is Sage Sungail, who also swam at Lake Brantley. He is currently swimming at Southern Methodist University in Texas, and had a major effect on Hana wanting to improve in the pool.

"I think it influenced it very well. He achieved in swimming, very high standards and I want to be the best, just like him," she said.

And like her brother, Hana wants to compete at the next level, and she has an idea where wants to go.

"I would love to go to college and swim competitively,' said Sungail. "My previous coach, Coach Joe, really wants me to go to Virginia so that is definitely an option and the school my brother goes to, SMU is definitely an option I am looking at."

The class 4A state swimming and diving championships are on Saturday Nov. 9 in Ocala.