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Aussie World Trials Wrap Up (And Let Down)

Apr 19, 2015  - Nikki Dryden

For my first Australian Nationals, I was hoping for a little more fan fare...unfortunately, the only excitement came from the water as the stands at the beautifully maintained Sydney Olympic pool were pretty much empty. Although it is school holidays here in Australia it was surprising, and it didn't feel like the meet I had dreamed of attending. The last Canadian nationals I went to had more fans. If swimming can't make it in Australia, is there hope anywhere? Just next door at the Sydney Royal Easter Show livestock and horticulture had more spectators. Even worse is the television contract for Australian swimming that aired the competition on tape delay on the network's secondary channel at 9:30pm. Not that I watch TV, but even I couldn't find it. Live swimming was superseded by M*A*S*H* re-runs.


Apart from the swimmers there is another bright spot in Australian swimming, the money (and perhaps celebrity) of Gina Rinehart who wants to fund “a return to the great days of Australian swimming.” The mother of swimmers out in Perth, Rinehart also happens to be the richest person in Australia and the 6th richest woman in the world Her company, Hancock Prospecting has signed a deal with the sport worth $10million Poolside on the penultimate nigh of swimming, Rinehart looked positive, happy and genuinely interested in the swimming (and the swimmers). A far cry from many suits who grace our decks. (She even wore flip flops, albeit with sparkles).


Although these days I am an interloper, I have seen enough to know great coaching. During the women's 800 free final I chatted with Denis Cotterell over 13 years after we first met at his Miami pool. Not much has changed, he is as passionate about (his) swimmers as ever. He sat fervently taking the splits of a swimmer he no longer coaches while telling tales of the Chinese swimmers he contract coaches. During one of his open water based sessions, one Chinese woman did the following free set fly: 4x200 fly, 4x800 fly, 4x200 fly. The 200s were on 2:30. Long course. He seemed excited, but tried not to show it too much, about having Hackett back. The 34 year old was the star of Nationals and is training about 70-80% the same as he did back in the day.


What was surprising was the number of foreign coaches who have invaded Australian shores. Sure, I am a foreigner living in Australia so I know why they would want to come here, but since when does Australian swimming need Jacco Verhaeren? No offense to him, he is of course an incredible coach, but surely there are Aussie coaches who can do the job? Bud McAllister is also here for about a year and is coaching in Perth.


Outside of Hackett's comeback swims of 1:46.84 and 3:46.53 (and yes even he is calling it that now) the headlines were surprising too. It was not that Cameron McEvoy won the 100 (48.06) and 200 frees (1:45.94), but that James Magnussen lost them. Even my co-workers came up to me talking about Magnussen, not McEvoy who won Pan Pacs last summer. He isn't a nobody, but Magnussen finally delighted the nation's fans winning the 50 from behind (21.98) and killing McEvoy's chance to become the first man to sweep the 50-200.


Eighteen year old distance star Mack Horton shone in 3:42.84, 7:51.85, and 14:44.09. More impressive was Cotterell's Miami men's 4x200 relay winning in 7:10.24:


  1. SMITH, DANIEL 1:47.30

  1. FRASER-HOLMES, THOMAS 1:46.42

  1. HARRISON, JORDAN 1:49.66

  1. HACKETT, GRANT 1:46.86

On the women's side the Campbell sisters take most of the limelight and for the first time younger sister Bronte upstaged Cate, winning the 50 free in 24.19 (one one hundredth off Cate's national title record set last year). Cate won the 100 in 52.69 (also one one hundredth off her own national title record from last year). Kiwi Lauren Boyle (who trains with Cotterell and Hackett) had an impressive morning 400 free of 4:03.88.


Backstroker Emily Seebohm took advantage of the new backstroke ledge sweeping the back events: 27.47, 58.91, and 2:06.69 and also winning the 200IM in 2:11.37.


After an 8 day meet, the Australian World team was announced for Kazan. Despite tough FINA A cuts that many swimmers didn't make some were added to the team for relays. The full Australian Dolphins Swim Team for the 2015 World Championships

 

NAME

AGE

CLUB

STATE

Matthew Abood

28

Sydney University

NSW

Jessica Ashwood

21

Chandler

QLD

Hayley Baker

19

Melbourne Vicentre

VIC

Bronte Barratt

26

St Peters Western

QLD

Joshua Beaver

22

Tigersharks

VIC

Bronte Campbell

20

Commercial

QLD

Cate Campbell

22

Commercial

QLD

Kyle Chalmers

16

Marion

SA

Ashley Delaney

28

Nunawading

VIC

Tommaso D'Orsogna

24

Commercial

QLD

Brittany Elmslie

20

St Peters Western

QLD

Thomas Fraser-Holmes

23

Miami

QLD

Madeline Groves

19

St Peters Western

QLD

Grant Hackett

34

Miami

QLD

Jayden Hadler

21

Commercial

QLD

Kurt Herzog

23

SOPAC

NSW

Mack Horton

18

Melbourne Vicentre

VIC

Grant Irvine

24

St Peters Western

QLD

Mitchell Larkin

21

St Peters Western

QLD

James Magnussen

23

Ravenswood

NSW

Cameron McEvoy

20

Palm Beach Currumbin

QLD

David McKeon

22

Chandler

QLD

Emma McKeon

20

Chandler

QLD

Taylor McKeown

20

Indooroopilly

QLD

Keryn McMaster

21

Waterworx

QLD

David Morgan

21

TSS Aquatics

QLD

Leah Neale

19

Indooroopilly

QLD

Jake Packard

20

Indooroopilly

QLD

Kylie Palmer

25

Indooroopilly

QLD

Emily Seebohm

22

Brothers

QLD

Daniel Smith

23

Miami

QLD

Christian Sprenger

29

Commercial

QLD

Brianna Throssell

19

Perth City

WA

Lorna Tonks

26

Brothers

QLD

Benjamin Treffers

23

Burley Griffin

NSW

Tessa Wallace

21

Pelican Waters Caloundra

QLD

Madison Wilson

20

St Peters Western

QLD

Melanie Wright

28

Southport Olympic

QLD

Facts

Team Size  38 (Male 20; Female 18)

Rookies Hayley Baker, Kyle Chalmers, Kurt Herzog

Long Course Rookies “ David Morgan, Leah Neale, Daniel Smith

Oldest Team Members - Grant Hackett (34); Melanie Wright (28)

Youngest Team Members - Kyle Chalmers (16); Brianna Throssell (19)

Most years on an Australian team - Grant Hackett (12); Bronte Barratt (11)

World Championships appearances - Bronte Barratt (6 consecutive); Grant Hackett (6)