Casey Tiger Sharks rising star Matt Charlesworth smashed the state long course 200-metre backstroke record at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Sunday. Pictures: Stewart Chambers. 19661By Marc McGowan
IT IS one thing to set a Victorian record and another altogether to obliterate the previous mark.
Berwick swimming prospect Matt Charlesworth is the latest Casey Tiger Shark state record-holder after slicing almost three seconds off the 11-and-under long course 200-metre backstroke mark.
Making the achievement even more satisfying for the 11-year-old Berwick resident was the fact the previous record-holder was Nunawading’s Liam Fisk, who beat Charlesworth by two-tenths of a second in January’s Victorian Long Course Championships.
“It feels pretty good because it’s something I’ve been aiming for for a while,” the grade six Upper Beaconsfield Primary School student said.
“I didn’t really expect to really get a PB (personal best) at this time of the season because you’re not really at your peak.
“It’s good to know you’re doing that good at this time of the season and can hopefully still improve.”
Charlesworth’s swim of 2:31.3 came in Surrey Park’s mixed age groups long course competition at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.
The meet was his last over the long course as an 11-year-old before he turns 12 on 22 September.
The record-breaking swim did not surprise Tiger Sharks head coach Ben Hiddlestone.
“It was on the cards. Matty’s another five months older since January and a little bit more mature,” he said.
“He’s been doing some good training and having the opportunity to compete in a mixed event with older guys to pace him also helped him out.”
While Charlesworth has achieved plenty already in his young career, his mother Kim was still beaming after the accomplishment.
“We’re just really proud of him. He sets objectives for himself and we’re pretty happy to have a child doing that,” she said.
“(The Tiger Sharks are) very supportive and attract really well-grounded kids, who are all focused on training hard and doing the best they can.”
Charlesworth will compete at the Victorian short course and long course championships, but his major goal is to qualify for April’s Australian Age Championships in Sydney.
To do so, he will have to take a further 1.36 seconds off his 200m backstroke time.
The youngest age group at the Australian Age Championships is 13-and-under, and only a handful of 12-year-olds qualify for the national showcase each year.
“I’d hope to get in as a 12-year-old, but probably only in the one event. It’d still be a great experience,” Charlesworth said.
“It’d be really good to make it because only two or three 12-year-olds really get into it every year.”
The race against the clock has begun in earnest and Charlesworth’s cause has been helped further by his recent promotion into the Tiger Sharks’ national squad.
“I’m still only doing six sessions a week, but they have gone up by half an hour to an hour per session, so I’m doing a whole lot more,” he said.
“You’re always tired at the end of the week and then on Sunday afternoons – after playing footy in the morning (in the Narre North Foxes under 12 team) – I just lie down and watch a movie.”
