Swimming Australia has finalised its team to compete at July’s World University Games in Italy, following the conclusion of the 2019 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships.
A total of twenty-six athletes hailing from four states – Queensland, Victoria, Western Australian and New South Wales – have been selected, with the team comprising of 16 male and 10 female representatives.
Arguably one of the largest multi-sport meets in the world, the World University Games is held every two years and is a highly competitive global competition that mirrors an Olympic Games environment, with athletes exposed to a village environment and gaining vital international race experience.
Two of the athletes making their way to the Games are Joshua Parrish (TSS Aquatics) and Ben Roberts (Breakers WA). The duo provided one of the most memorable highlights at the national championships in Adelaide, battling it out in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle. In the end it was a determined Parrish who pulled out a stunning performance in the final stages to clinch the gold ahead of Roberts.
A 2018 Junior Pan Pacs medallist in the 400m Individual Medley, Nunawading’s Brendon Smith will also travel to Naples to compete at the World University Games after pushing Rio Olympian Mitch Larkin all the way in the corresponding event at national champs.
Brisbane Grammar’s Calypso Sheridan earned selection after claiming three medals in Adelaide, including a gold in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley and silvers in the 400m individual medley and 200m backstroke. Meanwhile Sydney University’s William Yang also impressed, taking the spoils in the Men’s 50m Backstroke ahead of five-time Gold Coast Commonwealth Games medallist, Mitch Larkin.
Head Coach Leigh Nugent said he was delighted with the assembled team and looked forward to travelling to Italy in July.
“The World University Games is an important stepping stone for athletes striving to make it onto the senior team as it provides them with world-class international race experience, so we’re looking forward to competing,” Nugent said.
“It’s an important opportunity for athletes, coaches and team staff to learn, develop and hone the skills required in the national team environment, as our primary goal for all of our pathway teams is to build champions, in and out of the pool, who can perform when it matters most to inspire the nation.
“This is grown by building a skill set which focuses on achieving a peak performance at Benchmark Events, so we’ll be looking to develop their competition routines, self-management, professionalism, decision making under pressure, while also looking at their contribution to the team as individuals and team members.”
Fellow coaches accompanying Head Coach Leigh Nugent will be Sean Eels (Southport Olympic), Damien Jones (Rackely), David Proud (Nudgee) and Scott Talbot (Nunawading).
Australia can enter a maximum of two athletes for each individual event and qualifying times must be swum in the 12 months leading into the competition. This top-level competition is typically close and hard-fought with many Olympians competing in recent years.
Later this year the team will travel to Naples in Italy, with the Games running from Wednesday 3 to Sunday 14 July 2019.
2019 Team List – Male Athletes:
- Grayson Bell, TSS Aquatics – Griffith University, QLD
- Ashton Brinkworth, UWA West Coast – University of Western Australia, WA
- Max Carleton, St Peters Western – Queensland University of Technology, QLD
- Charles Cox, St Peters Western – Griffith University, QLD
- Jared Gilliland, Brisbane Grammar – Queensland University of Technology, QLD
- Bowen Gough, Nunawading – Deakin University, VIC
- Jacob Hansford, St Peters Western – Australian College of Physical Education, QLD
- Tristan Ludlow, Rackley – Griffith University, Rackley
- Benno Negri, Melbourne Vicentre – Monash University, VIC
- Joshua Parrish, TSS Aquatics – Griffith University, QLD
- Ben Roberts, Breakers – Edith Cowan University, WA
- Brendon Smith, Nunawading – La Trobe University, VIC
- William Stockwell, Rackley – University of QLD, QLD
- James Traiforos, Trinity Grammar – University of Sydney, NSW
- Cameron Tysoe, Ginninderra – University of Wisconsin Madison, NSW
- William Yang, Sydney University – University of Sydney, NSW
2019 Team List – Female Athletes:
- Sophie Caldwell, Nunawading – Deakin University, VIC
- Zoe Deacon, Nunawading – Monash University, VIC
- Julia Hawkins, Nunawading – Monash University, VIC
- Phoebe Hines, Mountain Creek Mooloolaba – University of Hawaii Manoa, QLD
- Chelsea Hodges, Southport Olympic – Griffith University, QLD
- Moesha Johnson, Palm Beach Currumbin – Southern Cross University, QLD
- Mikayla Messer, Nudgee College – Griffith University, QLD
- Dahlas Rogers, USC Spartans – University of Sunshine Coast, QLD
- Calypso Sheridan, Brisbane Grammar – Northwestern University, QLD
- Alice Stuart, TSS Aquatics – Griffith University, QLD
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