Swimming prospect David Burgess is hoping to take next month’s Victorian Age Championships by storm. 25638 By Marc McGowan
TEENAGE rising star David Burgess found out just how much he loved swimming this year.
The talented breaststroker, who trains at Paul Sadler Swimland in Narre Warren, went within a second of qualifying for the Australian Age Championships in Brisbane last April.
Burgess, 14 next month, had two options at that stage – give up on a promising career or get back in the pool and work even harder.
The Rowville resident chose the second option and has not looked back.
He won gold in the 200m breaststroke at last month’s Victorian Long Course Distance Championships and clocked a national qualifying time in doing so.
Burgess had already qualified for next year’s Australian Age Championships in his pet event, the 100m breaststroke.
The Year 7 Mazenod College student, who trains five times a week, can now relax somewhat ahead of next month’s Victorian Age Championships.
“I’ve been training a lot harder and I actually really want it,” he said.
“Because I missed out by such a little percentage it pushed me even more. My results since then show how much I was hurting.”
Burgess’ best result at state level is a fourth placing in the 100m breaststroke at this year’s Victorian Age Championships, but he hopes to go at least one better next month.
“I’m going for first place and I’ll try to knock a bit off my times,” he said.
“Nationals were what I was aiming towards (for next year) and hopefully I’ll get to swim in the Olympics some day.”
His father, Tim, who is on the general committee at Swimland, is extremely proud of his son’s achievements.
“David’s done very well and I’ve always said when he was learning to swim he spent more time under the water than above it,” he said.
“He’s one of those kids who loves the water and he has worked very hard.
“The coaches (Dirk Keesman and Peter Howes) have worked with him on his race technique, particularly in the 200m, and his mental preparation – that’s been the biggest difference.”
Swimland head coach Keesman is also full of praise for Burgess.
“David has an enormous attitude, a good work ethic and comes from a well-balanced family,” he said.
“He could go a long way. He’s a very good sportsman and is a nice kid.”
Burgess, whose sisters Kate, 17, and Emma, 16, also used to swim competitively, spent the last week playing volleyball for Mazenod College at the national schools’ championships.
He was at a familiar venue – Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre – and his school won the under-14 event, but he hopes the encore in the pool will be even better.
