TigerSharks cruise to finals

By Marc McGowan
TWELVE Casey TigerSharks swimmers progressed to next month’s 7-to-10 Metro Finals at Bayside Aquatic Centre on Sunday.
The top 10 competitors from each event at the Metropolitan District South short course meet qualified for the junior showcase – recognised as the unofficial state championships for younger swimmers.
Ben Lodder, nine, and Jake Duggan, eight, were again the stars of the show, winning each of their strokes in their respective age groups, and are strong chances to do the same at the Metro Finals on 16 November.
Duggan won all four of his swims at last year’s Metro Finals.
Ten-year-old Matthew Shaw, nine-year-old Adrianna Grech and eight-year-olds Talia Banh and Matthew Glover also progressed in all four of their events.
Casey’s other six qualifiers were 10-year-olds Nicole Rodriguez, Jake Templar and Wade Stephens, and nine-year-old trio Tamara Banh, Erena Koukounaras and Andrew West.
TigerSharks assistant coach James Fox was thrilled with his swimmers’ results.
“A lot of the kids did extremely well, and throughout the day every kid got at least one personal best,” he said.
“To get 12 kids through to the finals is fantastic. The juniors are coming along really well. We have a strong junior base developing.”
Fox revealed the inspiration behind Duggan’s and Lodder’s success.
“Obviously, those two boys have a bit of talent between them and they have a little bit of a rivalry, even though they’re not in the same age group, which is always healthy,” he said.
“They’re always comparing times and they really set out to do their best. Coming first in all four events is an added bonus.”
Rodriguez’s and Stephens’s eye-catching displays also impressed Fox.
“Nicole Rodriguez has been excelling for the last couple of months and has been a stand-out performer since the Casey meet a few weeks ago,” he said.
“Wade is the new kid on the block, so to speak.
“He’s one of those kids who’s so committed to the sport and just keeps putting in when we ask him to.”