SIXTEEN Gippsland swimmers will be among Australia’s best as they compete in the 2025 Australian Open Short Course championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre next weekend.
The team consists of five swimmers in the multi-class section and eleven in the able-bodied section. The swimmers have all swum a qualifying time to be entered in the event and are really looking forward to it.
The Gippsland swimmers will compete in seeded heats meaning they will often swim against swimmers they have idolised, and just to be there at the event is exciting.
To be competitive against them is even more amazing.
Well-known Australian swimmers Felix Dressel-De Bruyn, Tara Kinder and Ahmed Kelly will be amongst those the Gippsland Swimmers will line up with.
A number of the Gippsland MC swimmers have been setting Victorian records for their classification this year and any Personal Best in those events will mean records will continue to fall.
For young swimmers like 13-year-old Emily Croatto from SGB, it is a huge step up swimming at the open event, when at the start of the year Emily wasn’t even old enough to swim at the National Age Championships.
Added to the excitement, Emily and her sister Claudia have both qualified for the same event, the 200 metre breaststroke.
Emily said she was excited to race against Australian dolphins.
“It’s going to be so much fun.”
Sister Claudia said she was thrilled to have the opportunity to race at such a high level and thanked her coaches that have helped her get there.
For some of the older swimmers, the years of hard work have paid off, with swimmers like Ashley Nicholes from Traralgon ranked in the top 10 and hoping to make the finals.
For those unable to attend, the event will be broadcast on 9Now.
Gippsland Representatives: Isabelle Nash, Warragul; Olivia Ballie, Traralgon; Zayden Burton, Traralgon; Jessica Whiting, Traralgon; Ashley Nicholes, Traralgon; Darcy Connell, Traralgon; Brody Cargill, Traralgon; Miah Roberts, South Gippsland Bass; Claudia Croatto, South Gippsland Bass; Emily Croatto, South Gippsland Bass; and, Sophie McKenzie, South Gippsland Bass.
Multi-class Swimmers: Ayvah Dennis, Warragul; Tyra Jensen, Warragul; Lockie Bellion, Traralgon; Levi Jarrett, South Gippsland Bass; and Gemma Cook, South Gippsland Bass.
