Front, from left, Casey TigerSharks Craig Watson, Joshua Beaver, Matthew Charlesworth, Tyrone Dobrunz, and back, Brad York and Aleysha Tokai won medas at the Victorian Sprint Championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on the weekend. Picture: Meagan Rogers.By Marc McGowan
AMID a heavy training load, the Casey TigerSharks still had a major impact on the Victorian Sprint Championships at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on the weekend.
After posting a club-best sixth position in last month’s Victorian Long Course Age Championships, the TigerSharks managed another impressive showing in their latest competition.
Casey won three gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal, with 14 swimmers amassing 25 state finals.
TigerSharks head coach Ben Hiddlestone was pleased with the successes, but made it clear that peaking at April’s Australian Age Championships was the club’s main goal.
“It was good, but it’s kind of a rebound meet and is not a major focus of any of the clubs,” he said.
“The Victorian (Long Course Age) Championships were the main one; this is just a sharpen up meet.”
The biggest positives out of the event were Tyrone Dobrunz’s victory in the men’s 13-year-old 50-metre breaststroke and the debut of newcomer Aleysha Tokai.
Tokai, 14, is a multiple state medallist and national finalist and transferred from Bayside Swimming Club two weeks ago.
She pocketed a bronze medal in the women’s 14-year-old 50-metre butterfly.
The other two gold medallists were Matthew Charlesworth in the men’s 11-and-under 50-metre backstroke and 18-year-old Brad York in the men’s 17-to-18-year-old 50-metre backstroke.
Craig Watson and Josh Beaver snared silver medals in the men’s 15-year-old 50-metre backstroke and men’s 14-year-old 50-metre backstroke respectively.
Others to make finals were Trent Lindsey, Olivia Raiti, Lee Beattie, Arnon Lodder, Thomas Boatman, Jacob Kennedy, Jay Etheve and Eric Lopez.
Their concentration now turns to the Australian Age Championships in Brisbane that will run from 9 to 13 April.
Casey is sending a 10-strong team to the national showcase – up from six representatives last year.
Watson and York will also be competing at the Australian Swimming Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from 22 to 29 March.
The competition doubles as the Beijing Olympic Games selection trials.
“It will be a great experience for Craig,” Hiddlestone said.
“Obviously he will not be in the mix for the semis or finals, but the Olympic trials are only held once every four years and it’s difficult to get a lot of experience in them.
“If all goes well, he’ll be a major contender for the next Olympic trials (in 2012) and for most other 19-year-olds it will be their first time and they will be very nervous.”
