Shepparton’s competitive swimming scene isn’t taking a dive in 2024.
Three of Shepparton’s young swimming prodigies have qualified for the 2024 Australian Age Championships on the Gold Coast from April 6 to 14.
Branden Wilson (19), Kiera Shaw (15) and Madison Heywood (15) will represent Shepparton Swimming Club at the upcoming national championships.
The trio competed at the same event in 2023, but its preparation was heavily interrupted by the floods as the Aquamoves pool — where it trains — only reopened six weeks prior to its last nationals assault.
However, with full preparation and a mountain of training this time, head coach Leanne Houkes-Wilson believes her swimmers are primed to impress at the championships.
“This year has been fantastic as we have been able to train the whole way through, which in the past few years we haven’t been able to,” she said.
“Branden just aged up on Friday, lucky for him, so he now has to go in the open (age bracket).
“I think for the girls, PBs (personal bests) are their goals and just enjoying the experience because they have worked really hard to get to where they are.
“They were in it last year and, generally, when they go to nationals for the first time PBs are not an expectation as it is a little bit overwhelming for them or can be.
“Hoping this year that they can move up in places, but the competition is really tough, you know, the best in Australia that they compete against, so moving up in some placings would be good.”
Houkes-Wilson said her three athletes would be strictly focused on achieving personal bests during nationals, but added that if Shepparton’s young gun swimmers achieve certain times, Olympic trials could be on the cards.
To bring trials (or at least an invitation to performance squads) closer to reality, Houkes-Wilson said her team had been putting in the effort in and outside the pool so it could perform at its best during nationals.
“They do dry land most days, the same as training,” she said.
“They train twice on a Monday, which is 3½ hours, Tuesday is two hours, Wednesday is another 1½ hours, Thursday is two hours, Friday 1½ hours and as well, on top of that, they do dry land, so exercises out of the pool.
“In the gym, they have their own programs to get themselves ready to go into the pool each time they train and so that can equate to a whole lot more (hours of training).”
To qualify for the national championships, swimmers must achieve a certain time in their chosen events during country, local and state events.
For these championships, Wilson has qualified for the 200m, 100m and 50m breaststroke, Shaw the 200m and 100m backstroke and Heywood the 200m, 100m and 50m breaststroke.
Houkes-Wilson said the three talented swimmers were highly valued at the club and she was excited to watch their continued development over the next few years.
“Branden has been with the swimming club since he was nine years old; this will be his third opportunity at nationals,” she said.
“He is our breaststroker as that’s what he likes to swim, but he might dabble in a few other strokes now that has started to get a bit stronger and he is a bit older and sees potential in other strokes now.
“The other two girls, they have both been swimming for a couple of years now and both come from other sports (running and gymnastics).
“Breaststroke is Madi’s favourite and Kiera’s are backstroke and butterfly, so a mixture of strokes for me to coach, but I like it.
“It’s a reward for them to get to nationals and I’m really looking forward to seeing what they can do there.”