After some outstanding performances at the 2016 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships, 31 athletes have today been nominated to the Australian Paralympic Committee for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Australia has competed in swimming at every Summer Paralympic Games, winning a total of 391 medals – 119 gold. This proud tradition of success looks to continue at the Rio Games which will take place from 7 – 16 September 2016.
The squad has a great mix of youth and experience, with three-time Paralympians Matthew Levy, Jeremy McClure and Rick Pendleton nominated alongside rising stars such as 14-year-old Tiffany Thomas Kane and 15-year-old Timothy Hodge.
The Aussie swimmers have thrown a warning sign out to the rest of the world this week, breaking three World Records and showing they have a lot more left to give when Rio comes around.
On the first night of competition, dual Paralympian Ellie Cole thrilled the crowd and surprised herself when she broke the S9 World Record for the 50m freestyle. The 24-year-old who is also the current World Champion in the event, swam 28.75 seconds to smash the record which has stood since 2008.
“For 50m freestyle – leg amputees aren’t very good at it,” Cole said. “Natalie du Toit held the record before and to follow in her footsteps has been a dream of mine since I was a really little girl. I am absolutely speechless with that time.
“I’ve been on the Australian swim team for 10 years now and performances like that just really remind you of what it is all about. No matter how long you swim for or are an elite athlete for there are still surprises like that so I am really happy with that swim.”
After winning gold in world record time at last year’s IPC World Swimming Championships, Sydney schoolgirl Tiffany Thomas Kane has gone from strength to strength and shown she will be a real threat when she makes her Paralympic debut in Rio.
The 14-year-old school student set a new world record time of 44.50 in the 50m breaststroke and also won the Multi-Class 200m individual medley.
“It’s been a really good meet,” Thomas Kane said.
“I have been so surprised because I didn’t think I would go that well. Doing the times I wanted to do and going that well, it was great.”
“Rio is going to be an amazing experience. It’s not going to be easy, it’s going to be hard work but I’ll have my friends on my side and it’s going to be so fun.”
Three-time Paralympian Jeremy McClure raised the bar in the men’s S11 50m backstroke, setting a new World Record of 32.22. The 28-year-old from Canning Lightning will hope to take his blistering pace into the Paralympics.
Australia has been allocated 36 slots for the swimming competition at Rio 2016. Swimming Australia will make the five additional nominations to the Australian Paralympic Committee over the coming weeks.
Swimming Australia contributed this report.
| First Name | Last Name | Club | State |
| Joshua | Alford | Tuggeranong Vikings | NSW |
| Michael | Anderson | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Jesse | Aungles | Marion | SA |
| Emily | Beecroft | Traralgon | VIC |
| Liam | Bekric | Norwood | SA |
| Blake | Cochrane | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Ellie | Cole | Castle Hill | NSW |
| Taylor | Corry | Nelson Bay | NSW |
| Rowan | Crothers | Yeronga Park | QLD |
| Timothy | Disken | PLC Aquatic | VIC |
| Katherine | Downie | Westside Christchurch | WA |
| Maddison | Elliott | Newcastle University | NSW |
| Daniel | Fox | Chandler | QLD |
| Brenden | Hall | Lawton | QLD |
| Guy | Harrison-Murray | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Timothy | Hodge | The Hills | NSW |
| Tanya | Huebner | Melbourne Vicentre | VIC |
| Braedan | Jason | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Jenna | Jones | Springwood | NSW |
| Ahmed | Kelly | Melbourne Vicentre | VIC |
| Matthew | Levy | Cranbrook Eastern Edge | NSW |
| Jeremy | McClure | Canning Lightning | WA |
| Ashleigh | McConnell | Melbourne Vicentre | VIC |
| Monique | Murphy | Melbourne Vicentre | VIC |
| Lakeisha | Patterson | Yeronga Park | QLD |
| Rick | Pendleton | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Logan | Powell | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Sean | Russo | MLC Marlins | NSW |
| Madeleine | Scott | Canberra | NSW |
| Jacob | Templeton | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Tiffany | Thomas Kane | Ravenswood | NSW |
| Team Leader | |||
| Adam | Pine | ||
| Head Coach | |||
| Brendan | Keogh | ||
| Coaches | |||
| Angelo | Basalo | Cranbrook Eastern Edge | NSW |
| Jan | Cameron | USC Spartans | QLD |
| Harley | Connolly | Lawnton | QLD |
| Nathan | Doyle | Castle Hill | NSW |
| Lachlan | Falvey | Ravenswood | NSW |
| Rick | Van Der Zant | Yeronga Park | QLD |
| Yuriy | Vdovychenko | National Training Centre | ACT |
Why on earth are those two S8 female swimmers Elliott & Patterson on that list? They should be long gone from the sport
Sour grapes hey Jazz. Too many people out there judging others on what they hear from a 3rd party. If you dont know the specifics about a case then I suggest you mind your own business.