Best of the West Preparing for Aus Champs Assault

Published On: 31 March 2015

The Australian Swimming Championships begin this Friday

The 2015 Australian Swimming Championships commence this Friday at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC) running through til April 10 as the nation’s best go head to head.

The Championships represent Swimming Australia’s peak event and this year, will also form selection trials for the Australian teams to attend; the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, the 2015 World University Games (Gwanglu, South Korea), the 2015 IPC World Championships, to be held in Glasgow and the 2015 World Junior Championships, to be held in Singapore.

The Western Australian Institute of Sport will be represented by a high calibre of talent with athletes aiming for selection in each of the representative teams available.

Two WA Olympic medallists and a dual Paralympic champion are set for competition in Sydney, with Yolane Kukla, Blair Evans and Kathrine Downie all set for busy campaigns.

Arena club member Yolane Kukla has entered the sprint events, with the London Olympic relay gold medallist contesting the 50m and 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

Based on seeding times, Kukla is a prospective finalist in each event, with the 50m freestyle looming as her strongest chance.

Blair Evans is hoping to put an injury nightmare behind her and re-focus on competitive swimming again. The Olympic silver medallist is targeting the 100m and 200m freestyle events as she makes a competition return following what has been a torrid time through shoulder issues post London.

London golden girl Katherine Downie has revised her schedule after getting the all clear to compete at the Australian Championships, having recently undergone surgery for appendicitis.

 A bout of appendicitis wasn't enough to keep dual Paralympic champion Kat Downie from competition. She's aiming for selection for the IPC World Champs

Downie had planned to race an incredible seven events in Sydney but following her health scare and in careful consultation between her support staff it was determined to scale back her campaign and focus on the 100m backstroke and her pet event – the 200m individual medley.

The Westside Christchurch swimmer will potentially compete in a third event – the 100m fly later in the meet – but a decision on this will be made in assessment after her two priority swims.

Downie is considered a strong selection chance for Australia’s IPC World Championship team.

After impressive campaigns at the Youth Olympic Games and World Short Course Championships, City of Perth swimmer Brianna Throssell is set for a breakout campaign in Sydney.

Brianna Throssell is nationally regarded as one of the country's best young talents 

One of the events to watch at this year’s Championships will be the battle between Throssell and Madeline Groves in the 200m butterfly. Both athletes boast an entry seeding time below the required FINA A-Qualifying standard for entry at this year’s World Championships, meaning the prospective rewards might well go beyond a national title.

Throssell is also well positioned for the 100m fly and 200m free whilst the 19 year-old will also contest the 800m freestyle.

Former South African representative swimmer Jessica Pengelly (West Coast) will feature in the women’s 400m IM where she will take on reigning national champion Keryn McMaster.

Jessica Pengelly representing Australia at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games

Pengelly – who represented her adopted country at last year’s Commonwealth Games – is a medal fancy in the event, and will also take to the water in the 200m IM, 200m and 400m free and 200m fly and backstroke.

Tommy Sucipto is targeting personal best times in Sydney and will provide more than nuisance value in the men’s 50m and 100m breaststroke events. The 20 year-old Leisure Park Lazers club member is in line for finals appearances in both disciplines, with the 50m final likely to see him hunting Australian record holder Christian Sprenger for the podium.

Sucipto is also registered in the 50m free.

Lennard Bremer will be eyeing a strong performance in the men's 200m breaststroke

Westside Christchurch swimmer Lennard Bremer is contesting the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke with the 200m representing his best chance of a finals appearance.

Rockingham Swimming Club member Holly Barratt is entered in the single (50m) and double lap (100m) swims in both backstroke and free and the 27 year-old will also contest the 100m fly.

Western Sprint’s Nicholas Brown is aiming for finals in 100m and 200m butterfly and will also contest the 50m fly and 100m free. Adelaide Hart is entering the 50m and 100m backstroke, with both events representing finals opportunities, whilst the 20 year-old will also compete in the 50m, 100m, 200m free and the 200m back.

West Coast duo Tamsin Cook and Damian Fyfe are entered for Nationals but will both also target the subsequent Age Championships.

Although Tamsin Cook is targeting the Age Championships, she could create waves in the women's 800m at the Australian Swimming Championships

At 16, Cook will contest the 200m free and fly, whilst also swimming the 400m and 800m free, with the latter representing a podium opportunity for the youngster. Cook enters competition with the third highest seeding time of the competing 800m freestyle field.

Fyfe will swim in the men’s 200m butterfly, whilst another WAIS athlete competing in Sydney ahead of the Age Championships, in Breakers club member Grace Hull, will enter the women’s 200m free.

Swimming Australia’s website will include regular results and details, whilst broadcast of the 2015 Australian Swimming Championships will be hosted on Channel 10 with live streaming of each night’s finals available via TenPlay – www.tenplay.com.au

You can keep an eye on WAIS results through twitter, with @InsideWAIS the official handle, whilst the Institute’s Instagram account – also @InsideWAIS will share the best athlete snaps from the Australian Swimming Championships.