Jasmine Mau could have led a very different life.

"I just wonder how different my life would’ve been if I was still there," said the Punahou senior, who was adopted from China’s Wuhan district when she was 13 months old. "Would I be swimming? What would I be doing? Would I even be going to school?"

Those questions will never have an answer. What is clear is that Mau, who is already committed to the University of California for college, will finish her Buffanblu career as one of the most decorated high school swimmers in recent history.

Mau is a six-time individual state swimming champion and broke records in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard butterfly in last year’s state tournament. She believes in "being the best that I can be, not just in swimming, but in school and in all aspects of life.

"It sucks to sit at home and be like ‘Oh I wish I went faster,’ or ‘I wish I studied harder for that test.’ I hate regretting things, so I just go all out," Mau said.

Mau maintains a 3.5 GPA at Punahou and somehow finds a way to balance her six-day-a-week practice schedule for the Buffanblu and Kamehameha Swim Club with schoolwork and her time spent volunteering with the Special Olympics.

"The athletes at the Special Olympics inspire me," Mau said, "just because you look at them and how hard they work and all the effort they put in … it really makes me feel good."

Mau started volunteering in the eighth grade, well after her swimming career began when she was 8 years old.

As a child, Mau’s parents signed her up for a variety of sports from volleyball, soccer and basketball to golf, but it was swimming that Mau disliked the most.

"At swim lessons I’d be that one kid who just sits on the wall and cry and sometimes my mom would have to leave the facility for me to actually do something," Mau said.

She excelled in basketball and was even part of an elite club team, but eventually found her comfort in the pool and decided to focus on swimming.

Kevin Flanagan, head coach of the Kamehameha Swim Club, mentored Mau since she joined the club and called her a "once-in-a-decade athlete."

"I’ve coached dozens of very, very gifted and talented athletes, but she’s unique in the amount of work she can do and stay focused," Flanagan said. "Swimming is a hard sport. There’s not an instant gratification where you throw a ball in the hoop and everybody cheers. It’s really taxing on the body and the mind and Jasmine has an ability to handle that and comes back for more."

Flanagan says that what separates Mau from other athletes is her drive. If a practice gets canceled, Mau calls to find a way to make it up.

"Those athletes don’t grow on trees. That’s a once-in-a-decade thing," Flanagan said. "All of her successes weren’t a natural gift. She earned it."

One of the highlights of Mau’s swimming career was participating in a training camp at the Olympic center in Colorado Springs.

"It was an eye-opening experience ’cause before I used to eat whatever and didn’t really take it seriously," Mau said. "I went up there and there’s a bowl of pasta and there’s the ingredients and how much you can take. I was like ‘Wow. This is what it takes to become a legit swimmer.’ "

Five years later, Mau still watches what she eats and her dedication has taken her ability to a new level.

After being recruited by the top swimming programs across the country, SwimSwam.com ranked Mau as the sixth top NCAA recruit in the nation and Collegeswimming.com has her at ninth.

This summer, Mau qualified for the Olympic trials at the junior nationals in Irvine, Calif., after missing the cut in the 100 butterfly by 0.02 seconds in 2012.

"After that, I kind of wanted to quit swimming, and all of my hard work just didn’t. … I just shut down completely," Mau said. "It was hard for me the next three weeks. It was really frustrating to get back in there and practice, but it just motivated me even more."

Since then Mau has pushed through and is preparing for her final state tournament this week in Keaau.

"I just want to represent this program and my team the best way that I can. I’m going to come in every day with a positive attitude and go all out for my teammates," Mau said.

"I’m super excited just to spend time with my teammates and be a part of this amazing program one last time."