Bond’s Butterflying Beach Boy Jesse Coleman Wipes Out An Olympian’s Australian Age Record
Bond University’s butterflying beach boy Jesse Coleman has wiped out an Olympian’s 11-year-old National record on the final night of 2023 Australian Age Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast tonight.
Coleman clocked 52.04 to shave 0.05 off London Olympian Jayden Hadler’s 2012 time of 52.09 to set the only individual record of the meet and it came on the final night of competition.
IN FULL FLIGHT: Jesse Coleman at the Junior Pan Pacs. Photo Courtesy: Jesse Coleman Instagram.
Like so many 18-year-old’s from Queensland’s Gold Coast, Coleman loves his surfing and he mixes it with the best on some f the biggest days as you can see from these images he has posted on his Instagram account, surfing the cyclone swells that often whips up the perfect barrels for the surf hungry locals.
But there’s not too many surfers who paddle into the line up who can swim like Jesse Coleman, who would have no problem swimming to shore if he ever lost his board.
BARRELS OF FUN: Jesse Coleman enjoying the ride on the Gold Coast. Photo Courtesy: Jesse Coleman Instagram.
And even though surfing is now an Olympic sport, Coleman will still have his sights set on the pool events come Paris, Los Angeles and maybe even Brisbane.
And if his 100m butterfly time tonight is any indication, he is well and truly on track with over a decade passing until someone has been able to swim quicker than Hadler, regarded as one of Australia’s best ever age groupers who succeeded down the Olympic pathway.
Coleman will now take on the big boys when he lines up in the open 100m butterfly when the Australian Open Championships begin next week – his time getting closer to the 52 seconds barrier – with Kyle Chalmers, Shaun Champion, Matthew Temple and Cody Simpson all in the 51 mid range.
STRONG BOND: Jesse Coleman in between sets. Photo Courtesy:Jesse Coleman Instagram.
Coleman was out in 24.32 and home in 27.72 to nail his final race at the National Age level, swimming away with the gold medal from fellow Gold Coast star Enoch Robb (All Saints, QLD) 53.48 with Southport’s Daniel McLoughlin rounding out a local trifecta, taking the bronze in 54.24.
Robb had earlier in the meet won gold in the 50m butterfly as well as the 100 ands 200m backstroke to also establish himself as a future star.
It was Coleman’s second record of the week, after he combined with Bond teammates, Kody Byrne, Gideon Burnes and Flynn Southam to take down the 16-18 years 4x100m club medley relay.
Southam also wrapped up his outstanding week tonight, adding the 100m freestyle to his 50 and 200m freestyle wins in 48.91 (23.63) – with Southam, Coleman and triple National Age breaststroke winner Burnes all lining up in the Australian Open Championships starting Monday.
It’s Wunsch Time At Carlile For Olivia
WUNSCH TIME: Olivia Wunsch served up enjoyable main course at the Australian Age Championships. Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia (Bec Ohlwein).
And while the Bond boys have ridden their golden wave in the pool this week, 16-year-old Carlile sprint star, Olivia Wunsch has also delivered a red hot time in her 100m freestyle final – stopping within 0.13 of Mollie O’Callaghan’s 16 years National mark.
Coached by Mikayla Pattison, Wunsch sizzled down the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre pool in 26.15, coming back in 27.90 to stop the clock at 54.05 to land her fifth gold medal of the meet – claiming the 50, 100m freestyle and 50 and 100m butterfly doubles and the 200m individual medley.
In a high quality field Wunsch and silver and bronze medallists Milla Jansen (Bond, QLD) 54.55 and Hannah Casey (Marist College Ashgrove, QLD) 54.72 all surged into a who’s who of Australia’s fastest 16 year olds – including the Campbell sisters Cate and Bronte and Shayna Jack in another generation of Australian female sprinters on the rise.
A Top Ten that looks like this:
Mollie O’Callaghan 53.93
Olivia Wunsch 54.05
Yolane Kukla 54.08
Cate Campbell 54.20
Milla Jansen 54.55
Hannah Casey 54.72
Ami Matsuo 54.76 (also Carlile)
Bronte Campbell 54.87
Shayna Jack 54.88
Lucy McJannett 54.92
As if the 100 main course wasn’t enough, she then held off the boys to spearhead NSW to victory in the 4x50m Mixed 16-17 years State Medley Relay – splitting a mouth-watering 24.22, for dessert.
A girl who graduated through the Carlile Learn To Swim pool at Cross St and on to Ryde pool that produced Olympic golden girls Shane Gould and Gail Neale and the likes of world champion Jenny Turrall amongst so many others, will be one to keep an eye on as she sets her sights on this year’s World Junior Championships in Israel in September.
And it was also a huge night for Warringah’s multi-talented brothers Luke Higgs and Samuel Higgs with a family gold rush – 14 year-old Luke claiming the 800m freestyle for his sixth gold and older brother Samuel wrapping up his IM double – adding the gruelling 400IM to his earlier win in the 200IM.
PREMIER PIRANHA: Luke Higgs made it six of the best for Warringah Aquatic. Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia (Bec Ohlwein).
But it was Luke who took home the family bragging rights – winning the 200, 400, 800 and 1500m freestyles and the two IMs as they spearheaded Head Coach Cameron Gledhill’s Warringah Piranhas to a best ever fourth placed finish in the Australian Age pointscore behind the dominant St Peters Western powerhouse led by head coach Dean Boxall and Age Coach Richard Sleight.
While Chandler’s Ava Gaske also emerged with a bright future – winning her fifth gold of the meet, adding the 200m butterfly in 2:19.44 in the 14 years final from Nala Iosefo (Gardens, QLD) 2:21.36 and Manly’s Lille McPherson 2:21.95 – who also finished with five gold.
LANES OF GOLD: Chandler’s Ava Gaske took her gold medal tally to five. Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia (Bec Ohlwein).
Gaske also took out the 200, 400, 800m freestyle and the 200m butterfly, with McPherson the 50 and 100 butterfly and freestyle doubles and the 200IM.
In the 17 years girls, Nunawading’s Isabella Boyd completed her week with a slick 59.18 in 100m butterfly after taking out the 50m butterfly and the 200m individual medley as Victoria’s top club established themselves in the top three.
Other outstanding swims came from:
SOPAC pair Hayden Hoang and Heidi Shumack who spearheaded the club into third place on the pointscore with their wins in the 16 years 200m backstroke (2:05.19) and 13 years 200m breaststroke (2:35.23) respectively.
WEST ILLAWARRA’s Jessica Cole in the 16 years 200m butterfly in 2:12.68 from Poppy Stephen (Nudgee College, QLD) 2:13.18 and Sally Vagg (Rocky City, QLD) 2:14.52.
MIAMI’s tough as teak Karl Albertyn who added the 17-years 200m butterfly in 2:02.62 to his gold meals already won in the 200 and 400 IMs and;
IONA’s Zoe Ammundsen in the 15 years 200m backstroke clocking 2:14.35 ahead of Jessica Wilson (Nunawading, VIC) 2:18.58 and Isabel Sheldrick (St Hilda’s WA) 2:19.67
CHAMPION CLUB: St Peters Western and Age coach Richard Sleight had every reason to celebrate, crowned Australia’s champion Age Club with another dominant week in the pool on the Gold Coast. Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia (Bec Ohlwein).
2023 Australian Age Swimming Championships, Night 9, FINALS:
GIRLS
13-14 years
1500m freestyle
- Emily Holmes (Chandler, QLD) 17.2934
- Rylee Smith (Redcliffe, QLD) 17.33.92
- Maya Bearman (Chandler, QLD) 17.41.62
13 years
200m breaststroke
- Heidi Shumack (SOPAC, NSW) 2:35.63
- Lilla Ribot-de=Bressac (Newmarket Racers, QLD) 2:36.15
- Coco McGrath (St Peters Western, QLD) 2:39.96
14 years
200m butterfly
- Ava Gaske (Chandler, QLD) 2:19.44
- Nala Iosefo (Gardens, QLD) 2:21.36
- Lillie McPherson (Manly, NSW) 2:21.45
100m backstroke
- Lily Koch (MLC Aquatic, VIC) 1:04.50
- Clara Carrocci (Norwood, SA) 1:04.86
- Jessie Steinman (Geelong, VIC) 1:05.70
15 years
400m individual medley
- Piper Asquith (Griffith University, QLD) 4:54.82
- Julia Remington (Yeronga Park, QLD) 4:58.64
- Rafaela Kopellou (SOPAC, NSW) 4:59.42
200m backstroke
- Zoe Ammundsen (Iona College, QLD) 2:14.35
- Jessica Wilson (Nunawading, VIC) 2:18.58
- Sable Sheldrick (St Hilda’s WA) 2:19.67
16 years
100m freestyle
- Olivia Wunsch (Carlile, NSW) 54.05
- Milla Jansen (Bond, NSW) 54.55
- Hannah Casey (Marist College Ashgrove, QLD) 54.72
200m backstroke
- Jessica Cole (Wests Illawarra, NSW) 2:12.68
- Poppy Stephen (Nudgee College, QLD) 2:13.18
- Sally Vagg (Rocky City, QLD) 2:14.52
17 years
200m backstroke
- Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar, NSW) 2:13.06
- Tameeka Johnson (Sans Souci, NSW) 2:15.74
- Semra Olowoniyi (DVE Aquatic, Greensborough VIC) 2:18.68
100m butterfly
- Isabella Boyd (Nunawading, VIC) 59.18
- Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar, NSW) 1:00.01
- Josephine Crimmins (Newmarket racers, QLD) 1:01.03.
BOYS
14 years
200m breaststroke
- Joshua Mason (Marist College Ashgrove, QLD) 2:27.61
- Seungmin Oh (Rackley, QLD) 2:28.13
- Jonathan Leong (Geelong, VIC) 2:28.31
14-15 years
800m freestyle
- Luke Higgs (Warringah, NSW) 8.26.53
- Lucas Fackerell (Breaker, WA) 8:29.85
- Kai Gilbert (St Peters Western, QLD) 8:30.15
15 years
200m butterfly
- Eric He (Nunawading, VIC) 2:07.34
- Austin King (Iona, QLD) 2:07.60
- Lachlan Thompson (Brisbane Grammar, QLD) 2:07.66
100m backstroke
- Jack Morrow (Propulsion, VIC) 57.89
- Daniel Holdway (Southside, QLD) 58.34
- Dylan Pieterse (Redlands, QLD) 58.75
16 years
400m individual medley
- Samuel Higgs (Warringah, NSW) 4:25.41
- Oscar Kreutzberger (North Albury, NSW) 4:32.19
- Xavier Metcalfe (Fraser Coast, QLD) 4:33.56
200m backstroke
- Hayden Hoang (SOPAC, NSW) 2:05.19
- Sebastian King (Newington, NSW) 2:06.10
- Sylas Phillips (Blacktown, NSW) 2:07.62
17 years
100m freestyle
- Flynn Southam (Bond, QLD) 48.91
- Anders McAlpine (Chandler, QLD) 50.29
- Koby Bujak-Upton (Knox Pymble, NSW) 51.12
200m butterfly
- Karl Albertsyn (Miami, QLD) 2:02.62
- Ryan Clifford (Marion, SA) 2:02.70
- Clancy Luscombe (Marion, SA) 2:056.45
18 years
200m backstroke
- Enoch Robb (All Saints, QLD) 2:01.43
- Fergus McLachlan (Bond, QLD) 2:03.13
- Marius Boll (Carlile, NSW) 2:03.32
100m butterfly
- Jesse Coleman (Bond, QLD) 52.04 (Australian 18 years record)
- Enoch Robb (All Saints, QLD) 53.48
- Daniel McLoughlin (Southport, QLD) 54.24
TOP SIX CLUBS:
- St Peters Western (QLD 3680
- Nunawading (VIC) 1750
- SOPAC (NSW) 1410
- Warringah (NSW) 1381
- Knox Pymble (NSW) 1322
- MLC Aquatic (VIC) 1312