A quartet of WAIS synchronised swimmers are part of an Australian national camp currently being hosted in Perth as the count down to this year’s FINA World Championships draws near.
The national synchro squad is on a two week camp in Perth, little more than 60 days shy of July’s Championships that will determine whether Australia qualifies a berth at next year’s Rio Olympic Games.
Qualification will be based on Australia’s ability to finish ahead of regional rivals New Zealand in Kazan, Russia where the FINA sanctioned event will merge with swimming, diving, water polo, open water and high diving in crowning the latest instalment of aquatic world champions.
The national squad holds a distinct Western Australian flavour, unsurprising following the state’s recent success at the national championships in Sydney – in which the WA contestants swept all available titles.
WAIS scholarship holders Danielle Kettlewell, Amie Thompson, Danielle ten Vaanholt and Deborah Tsai are all aiming to be part of the Australian synchro team that competes in Russia, with the Perth training camp forming a crucial part of the squad’s preparations.
The decision to base in Perth was made following the recent launch of the WAIS High Performance Service Centre which resides adjacent to Mt Claremont’s HBF Stadium, where the squad has completed its water sessions.
The recovery and strength and conditioning facilities on offer at WAIS have provided the perfect marriage of convenience for the national team as they aim to refine their routines before selecting a final squad for Kazan.
Amie Thompson said the opportunity to get the squad together and training in a world class facility would provide a perfect platform for the teams’ lofty ambitions.
“It’s really exciting, it’s the first time we’ve had the full squad here in Perth, training with the WAIS facility supporting us,” she said. “We’re working towards qualifying for the Olympics and hopefully that will happen for us at the end of world championships in July,” she said.
Danielle Kettlewell – who relocated to Perth from Canada – said the opportunity to train and compete with WA teammates was helping inspire their journey.
“It’s lovely having a community of girls and all being together in WA, which I think is the best state,” she said. “We have the best facilities here, and it’s also awesome to travel all over the world to competitions and compete with teammates who are also your friends.” Kettlewell added.
Whilst securing Australia’s Olympic berth is the main target in 2015, Danielle ten Vaanholt said all the girls were aiming to take the next step to Rio.
“It’s been our goal since we were really, really young so to see it come true would be fulfilling our main goal, which we’ve worked almost our entire life for,” she said. “I don’t know what that will feel like, but I’m sure it would be a happy and exuberant experience.”
The 2015 FINA World Championships run from July 24 through to August 9 in the Russian city of Kazan.
