Ageless South African Roland Schoeman at 43 Joins Influx Of Heroes for 2023 Hancock Prospecting Queensland State Championships
Four-time South African Olympic Games freestyle sprinter Roland Schoeman headlines a host of internationals and a plethora of Australian heroes when they converge on the Brisbane Aquatic Centre for next month’s 2023 Hancock Prospecting Queensland State Swimming Championships.
The 43-year-old former three-time World Champion and three-time Olympic medallist will line up against Australia’s reigning 50m freestyle World Champion and local hero Cam McEvoy (Somerville House) and Fukuoka finalist Isaac Cooper (St Andrews) in the 50m freestyle.
The trio will also take to the water in the 50m butterfly at the meet that has attracted
3,415 nominated athletes, compared to 3,262 in 2022, with 8,829 nominations (compared to 8,781 last year from 183 clubs – up by six from 12 months ago.
Japan will also be well represented with their 25-strong contingent headlined by the likes of four-time World champion Daiya Seto and brave two-time Olympian and leukaemia sufferer Rikako Ikee – who have both been in Queensland training with Michael Bohl’s group at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.
Seto will face off against Australian Olympians, Brendon Smith (Griffith University) and Tommy Neill(Rackley Swim Team) in the 200 and 400IMs.
While National record holder Ikee, will have a busy program in the 50 and 100m freestyle and butterfly and 100m backstroke – up against Griffith training partners, Olympic champions Emma McKeon and Kaylee McKeown.
New Zealand will field a 63-strong team of open and age group swimmers led by World Championship and Commonwealth Games middle distance freestyle finalist Eve Thomas
The Queensland State Championships always holds a special place on the Australian swimming calendar – and this year’s meet will be its strongest on record – 2023 delivering the cream of the crop from the home-grown Olympic gold medallists and World Champions to the State’s developing age groupers joining the international visitors.
Queensland’s reigning Olympic and World champions will headline Australian gold medal list with McKeon (Griffith University), Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western), McKeown (Griffith University, Zac Stubblety-Cook(Chandler), Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western), Cameron McEvoy (Somerville House), Sam Short(Rackley Swim Team), Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western) and Cate Campbell (Chandler) joined by the likes of Shayna Jack (St Peters Western), Meg Harris (Rackley Swim Team), Chelsea Hodges (Southport), Brianna Throssell (St Peters Western) and Lizzie Dekkers (Chandler) just some of the super heroes in the star-studded fields.
Joining them will be the likes of Flynn Southam (Bond University), Jenna Strauch (Miami), Tommy Neill(Rackley Swim Team), Brendon Smith and Lani Pallister (Griffith University), Alex Graham (Miami), Jack Cartwright (St Peters Western), Kai Taylor (St Peters Western), Kiah Melverton (St Peters Western) Max Giuliani (Miami), Abbey Harkin and Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western).
Action gets under way on Saturday December 9 with the club relays and concludes on December 15.