700 Swimmers to Converge on Australia for World Trials Beginning Friday (LINKS)

Close to 700 of the best swimmers from across Australia will converge at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre tomorrow Friday April 3, for the 2015 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships which double as a FINA and IPC World Championship selection event.

The National Championships will run for eight days from Friday April 3 to Friday April 10 with the best of the best lining up behind the blocks for the chance to be crowned the Australian Champion and join the Australian Dolphins Swim Team for 2015.

Reigning World Champions Cate Campbell (100m freestyle), James Magnussen (100m freestyle) and Christian Sprenger (100m breaststroke) will all be on show and seeking selection onto the FINA World Championships team for the chance to defend their respective world titles.

They will be joined on pool deck by a host of rising stars including Cameron McEvoy, Thomas Fraser-Holmes, Emma McKeon, Bronte Campbell and Mack Horton as well as a familiar face in former world record holder, Olympian and World Championship medallist Grant Hackett.

After six years out of the pool, having last swum at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Hackett will make a return to the Australian Championships after entering in the 100, 200 and 400m freestyle events.

Swimming in the same venue where he won Olympic gold in front of a home crowd, Hackett said he was enjoying swimming competitively once again.

“I’m very excited about competing from a very different perspective and in a very different position to what I’ve been in previously, coming into a trials meet. For me I’m just going to make sure I enjoy this whole experience,” Hackett said.

“We’re talking six months’ worth of work here not six years, I’ve had six years off! So I have to be very, very I guess, aware of where I’m at and realistic with what I can achieve over these next few days, but for me it’s really a stepping stone for going faster.”

As a former leader of the Australian Swim Team, Hackett said he hopes his return has a positive effect on the younger generation of swimmers.

“That’s the point of being a part of Australian Swimming and the Australian Swim Team, is that you want to see everybody swim quick. If me coming back into the sport for my own reasons actually lifts the younger competitors and see them get that little bit extra out of themselves, then my job is done.”

Following their impressive performances in 2014 the scores are level between Magnussen and McEvoy, with one gold each from the major international meets.

Magnussen finished first at the Commonwealth Games while McEvoy swam over the top to take gold at the Hancock Prospecting Pan Pacific Championships. With a new coach and new training environment, everyone is eagerly awaiting Magnussen’s first fully tapered race back and all eyes will be on the Dual World Champion to see if he can produce a win in front of a home crowd.

After sneaking into top spot in this event last year, McEvoy will be looking to successfully defend his Australian Championship crown.  Relay spots are also up for grabs in this event with experienced sprinters Matt Abood and Tommaso D’Orsogna along with up-and-comers Luke Percy and Kyle Chalmers all in with a chance to qualify for selection.

In the corresponding women’s event, the final of the women’s blue ribband 100m freestyle could see the four members of Australia’s world record breaking 4x100m freestyle relay team from the Commonwealth Games; Cate Campbell, Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Melanie Wright face off in a fight for first place. With only the top two getting the chance to race the individual event in Russia, the competition will be fierce.

In the backstroke events, the introduction of the new backstroke wedge could prove pivotal for Emily Seebohm and Mitch Larkin. Both are not far off world record pace in their respective events and will be eager to set a high standard in Sydney.

In the Multi Class events, IPC World Champions Maddison Elliott, Blake Cochrane and Daniel Fox could get the chance to defend their crowns in Glasgow pending a successful qualification this week.

Elliott, who set a new Para Sport 100m freestyle world record in her classification at the Commonwealth Games last year will have to race Paralympic Gold medallist Ellie Cole.

Twenty-three-year-old Cole will return to the pool following an extended break due to shoulder surgery with the hopes of qualifying for her third IPC World Championship team and will contest the 50 and 100m freestyle and the 100m backstroke over the eight days of racing.

Heats will be live-streamed via swimming.org.au and commence at 10:00am with finals LIVE on tenplay from 6:30pm and delayed on Network Ten’s ONE HD.

Filming.

Network TEN are the host broadcasters of the 2015 Trials. From Friday 3 April, no other TV networks are permitted to film anywhere inside the venue, including the Mixed Zone. This applies to all print, radio and online outlets also wishing to film.

A doorstop media opportunity with an athlete, coach or the head coach for non-rights holders will be arranged, as required, at the conclusion of racing each session.

How to watch: http://tenplay.com.au/sport/australian-swimming-championships/schedule
TENplay: Tenplay.com.au/AustralianSwimmingChampionships
Direct Live-Stream: Tenplay.com.au/liveswimming

Event Information

2015 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships, 3 – 10 April, Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre

Start list: http://www.swimming.org.au/visageimages/1_SAL/Events/2015%20Events/2015_Trials/start%20list.pdf

Dropbox link to Media Guide, VNRs and event information here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bmz6cambe1skfi4/AADNovo20SaZaWwOqtfxXCtDa?dl=0

Social Media
Australian Dolphins Swim Team – Facebook
@DolphinsAUS – Twitter and Instagram
Hashtags – #AusChamps15 #OurTeam #TeamGreenAndGold

Sydney Olympic Park Fun Facts:

• The Aquatic Centre recently celebrated 20^thanniversary and has welcomed over 21 million visitors and has the largest visitation of any aquatic venue in New South Wales
• 2011 was the last time the Australian Championships were held at SOPAC
• The Aquatic Centre hosted the swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and water polo events at the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• The Aquatic Centre is home to a number of NSW Institute of Sport coaching programs including diving, water polo and swimming, and each year hosts numerous state, national and international events.
• From 2014, the Aquatic Centre was recognised as a Performance Podium Centre to provide a world’s best training environment and support for our elite swimmers and coaches.
• The Aquatic Centre has the largest swim school in New South Wales and was awarded the NSW Austswim Recognised Swim Centre of the Year in 2013 with more than 4,200 students per term
• In August 2013, the Aquatic Centre opened a new feature to the general public. The Dive into History exhibition celebrates the many great moments of this dynamic venue featuring the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, world record swims at the Aquatic Centre, legends and local heroes in aquatic sports.