Para Worlds: Australia’s Rowan Crothers Adds World Championship Gold to Tokyo Triumph
Australian Para swimming cult figure Rowan Crothers has added the world title to his Tokyo Olympic gold in another dramatic 50m freestyle win in Maderia, Portugal today.
The 24-year-old from Yeronga Park in Brisbane swam and celebrated his way into the hearts of Australian sports fans after his golden lap at the Para Olympics.
And he did not disappoint when the Madeira 2022 World Para Swimming Championships kick-started at the Funchal’s Olympic Swimming Pools Complex (Complexo de Piscinas Olímpicas do Funchal).
Crothers blasted his way to victory in 23.51 beating Brazil’s Pheilpe Melo Rodrigues and Italy’s five-time Tokyo medallist Stefano Raimondi – adding his first World title to his three individual bronze medals from 2013 and 2019.
The Brisbane boy, under the coaching of Kate Sparks and Rob Van Der Zant, who turned the clock back last year to the famed Australian Mean Machine days of the early to mid 80s, touched the wall and jumped onto the lane rope, pumping his chest in excitement.
SCOOTER’S SILVER LINING: Grant “Scooter”Patterson celebrates his World Championship silver in Maderia. Photo Courtesy: World Para Swimming.
Born with cerebral palsy, Crothers emerged in Tokyo as a new cult figure of Australian Paralympics conjuring memories of Australian swimming’s famed “Mean Machine” kings Neil Brooks and Greg Fasala who became the first Australian swimmers to shave their heads at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.
And not to be outdone was another Para cult hero and Tokyo bronze medallist Grant “Scooter” Patterson who added to his World Championship collection, winning silver in the men’s 50m breaststroke SB2.
Patterson’s seventh World Championship medal across four World Championship campaigns for the 33-year-old from Cairns.
Crothers and Patterson spearheaded the Dolphins to a golden start to the meet that was tinged with a silver lining on an opening day that also saw:
SUNSHINE COAST pair Tokyo medallist Keira Stephens (USC Spartans) take silver in the 100m breaststroke in the SP9 Class in 1:17.77 and her team mate Tokyo gold medallist Benjamin Hance (USC Spartans, QLD) storm home in 1:56.14 to win the bronze in the men’s 200m freestyle S14 closely followed by fellow Aussie Jack Ireland who touched the wall at 1:56.77 and;
STEPHENS SILVER START; Sunshine Coast’s Keira Stephens off to a flyer in the 100m breaststroke. Photo Courtesy: World Para Swimming.
NSW SOUTH COAST young-gun and Tokyo silver medallist Jasmine Greenwood (Bay and Basin, NSW) claimed bronze in the women’s 50m freestyle S10 with a personal best time of 28.37 which will be a huge confidence booster for the 17-year-old, who will be one to watch in the countdown to Paris.
GREEN WITYH ENVY: Australia’s bronze medallist Jasmine Greenwood. Photo Courtesy: World Para Swimming.