Personal bests make best in state

By Gavin Staindl
IF THE results at last week’s swim meet are anything to go by, then Casey TigerShark Matson Lawson is the best swimmer in Victoria.
Lawson, 19, convincingly finished with the most points at the Victorian Open Short Course Championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.
Lawson racked up 130 points, 20 more than any other swimmer, and from the six medals he won, the Langwarrin resident was the only swimmer to claim three golds.
Lawson was a hot favourite to take out his pet event, the 200-metre backstroke but was surprised when he touched the wall first to clinch gold in the 400m freestyle and 400m individual medley.
If not more pleasing, Lawson also swam personal bests in all events, including a whopping 12-second personal best in the 400m individual medley.
As Lawson put it succinctly, “I guess I did alright.”
Lawson, who has his sights set firmly on Olympic trials in six months, said he wasn’t expecting to do as well as he did.
“I was expecting one gold and a couple of other medals, but when I won gold in my first event (200m free) I knew I was going to have a good meet,” Lawson said.
“I’ve only missed one training session in six months … and although I don’t want to get ahead of myself, I am a big chance at making the (Olympic) team.”
TigerShark coach Ben Hiddlestone praised Lawson’s effort that guided Casey to third place.
“It was a great meet for him,” Hiddlestone said.
“Of the 350 points our team reached, he made 130 of them.”
With the completion of the senior and junior short course state championships, the elite TigerSharks turn their focus to the grand prix series over the summer.
The three-stage grand prix, which involves open swim championships in Queensland, NSW and Victoria, begins in December and is considered the final testing ground before Olympic qualifications in March.
For the remainder of the TigerSharks, their focus is on Sunday’s Casey TigerShark qualification meet at Casey Race.
“Most other clubs are having a two-week break and I think that is great, they should have a three-week break,” Hiddlestone said.
“We’re not having any breaks … and it’s only when someone burns out do we give them a break.
“We are not working super hard at the moment, rather we are slowing training down so we focus a lot on correcting the kids’ technique.”