WA Swimmers Named on Major Australian Representative Teams
WA athletes have earned selection across Australian squads for the World University Games and the World Para Swimming Championships following announcements made by Swimming Australia.
Ashton Brinkworth has earned selection for the World University Games in Naples following a breakout performance at last week’s titles in South Australia, with the University of Western Australia student set to be joined by Edith Cowan University student Ben Roberts in Australia’s 26-strong squad.
Brinkworth made a series of senior finals in Adelaide, which included some fast times swimming against some the world’s best freestyle talents including Kyle Chalmers and Cam McEvoy.
His fifth placed effort in the men’s 100m free final came after he swam a time of 49 seconds flat in qualifying, marking the 19 year-old as one of the country’s most exciting young talents.
His selection for Australia’s University Games team adds to previous international exposure at Junior Pan Pac and Youth Olympic Games representative levels.
Roberts claimed a series of medals in age-group competition in Adelaide, focusing across the middle-distance freestyle events. The Bud McAlister coached 20 year-old set to compete in a first Australian representative team in Italy this July.
Veteran WA swimmer Jeremy McClure will add another career highlight to his extensive resume when he competes for the Australian Dolphins at the World Para Swimming Championships in London next September.
The 31 year-old is a four-time Paralympian and he will be joined on the Australian team by one of the state’s rapidly emerging future stars in Ben Popham, who will add further international experience to the Para Pan Pacs team he made in 2018, where he collected a brace of gold medals in the S8 100m and the 34-point men’s 4x100m relay.
At 18 years of age, Popham – an Arena club member – will be hoping to make his first Paralympic team in Tokyo 2020.
Further details of the Australian team for the 2019 World University Games.
Further details of the Australian Dolphins team for the 2019World Para Swimming Championships.