Sydney Sprints: Isaac Cooper Back On Deck Chasing A Place On The World Short Course Team
Bundaberg’s Tokyo Olympian Isaac Cooper, sensationally sent home by Swimming Australia on the eve of last month’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, will begin his road back to the National team in Sydney tomorrow.
BACK ON DECK: Isaac Cooper will start his Sydney Sprints campaign in thje 100m backstroke. Photo Courtesy:Wade Brennan.
Cooper will line up in the four-day Sydney Sprints meet (Australian Short Course Championships) – that kick off at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
And if the teenage prodigy can get back to his best he could well make a sensational return to the 32-strong Australian Dolphins team to be named on Saturday night for the World Short Course Championships in Melbourne from December 13-17.
Swimming Australia has confirmed today that Cooper “has engaged in all the support that has been put in place and is available for selection” after saying at the time that the he would not be subjected to any further disciplinary action by Swimming Australia.
The 18-year-old was sent packing from the Australian team’s French training camp before Birmingham for misusing prescription medication – costing him a real medal winning chance in Australia’s golden reign in Birmingham where the Dolphins won 65 medals – 25 of them gold.
In a statement at the time Swimming Australia said that Cooper had acknowledged his mistakes and accepted the consequences.
“Swimming Australia will continue to support Isaac as he addresses (his) challenges,” Swimming Australia said in a statement.
“The welfare of our athletes remains our absolute priority. Swimming Australia is vigilant in educating athletes of their obligations under the National Integrity Framework and will continue to provide all necessary support to ensure they uphold the highest standards and behaviours when representing Australia.”
With Cooper later admitting “It was difficult to accept in myself that I needed to address my mental health……and I am grateful to Swimming Australia for helping to identify an issue and offering their support and resources to help me.”
Cooper has entered the 50 and 100m backstroke and the 50m and 100m freestyle events after setting a new Queensland All-Comers record of 23.41 in the 50m backstroke at the recent Queensland State Championships, where he lowered triple Olympian Mitch Larkin’s time set back in 2016.
The Tokyo relay bronze medallist and Australian champion will start his campaign tomorrow morning in the heats of the 100m backstroke, where he is ranked third in an international class field led by Russian Mark Nikolaev and US World champion Justin Ress who helped the Americans to their Duel In the Pool victory in Sydney on Saturday night.
Cooper, who has had limited short course competition, is swimming for Bundaberg, where he grew up and first emerged as a brilliant Queensland age grouper under coaches Scott Hamlet and Paul Simms.
He has been training on the Sunshine Coast after his former club, the Rackley Swim Team had no alternative but to part ways with their budding teen.
But his personal best form at the Queensland Championships showed that he is well on track for further improvement.
Cooper also finished second in the 100m backstroke in 51.97 to former NSW-based Australian Youth Olympic and Junior Pan Pac representative Lewis Blackburn (51.61), now firmly entrenched training under coach and former Olympian Ash Delaney at St Andrews Anglican College, Peregian Springs on the Sunshine Coast.
While the 51.30 qualifying time isn’t out of reach it’s still a tough time to reach with the selection criteria based around Olympic events with Head Coach Rohan Taylor’s pathway to Paris already in full swing.
Cooper was also second in 21.77 to USC Spartan Ashton Brinkworth (21.67) in the 50m freestyle – which has a World Championship qualifying time of 21.40 and also second in 23.59 in the non-selection 50m butterfly event to dual Olympian David Morgan.
And for Cooper the Sydney Sprints could well be the fillip the youngster needs to put him back on the road towards his second Olympic campaign.
The Championships will run from Wednesday (tomorrow) August 24 through Saturday, August 27 and will feature members of Australia’s triumphant Birmingham team led by Olympic champions Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown, , Kyle Chalmers, Meg Harris, Madi Wilson and Chelsea Hodges and World and Commonwealth Games golden girl Mollie O’Callaghan.
Several members of the US team from the Duel In the Pool, including Ress, Luke Hobson, Beata Nelson, Grant House and Trenton Julian, David Johnson and Jamal Hill will also contest the meet.
MEET INFORMATION – START LISTS
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SWIMMIMNG AUSTRALIA SELECTION EVENTS and QTs
2022 FINA SWIMMING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (25m), Melbourne, VIC (December 13-17).
MEN
50m Freestyle: 21.40
100m Freestyle: 47.23
200m Freestyle: 1:44.08
400m Freestyle: 3:42.50
800m Freestyle: 7:45.02
1500m Freestyle: 14:49.29
100m Backstroke: 51.30
200m Backstroke: 1:52.66
100m Breaststroke: 57.63
200m Breaststroke: 2:06.23
100m Butterfly: 50.57
200m Butterfly: 1:53.61
200 IM: 1:55.25
400 IM: 4:09.19
WOMEN
50m Freestyle: 24.44
100m Freestyle: 53.78
200m Freestyle: 1:55.60
400m Freestyle: 4:06.95
800m Freestyle: 8:29.17
1500m Freestyle: 16:15.27
100m Backstroke: 58.08
200m Backstroke: 2:07.19
100m Breaststroke: 1:06.18
200m Breaststroke: 2:23.38
100m Butterfly: 57.40
200m Butterfly: 2:08.85
200 IM: 2:10.16
400 IM: 4:37.54