The Bull Sharks will send a shiver through the waters of the Chandler Aquatic Centre during the upcoming Australian Age and Open Swimming Championships.
Bond University is bringing its largest-ever team of 40 swimmers to the championships.
The starter’s gun will fire for the age championships on Sunday with the opens to follow on April 21.
On the opening week all eyes will be on our six youngest Bull Sharks with coach Zander Hey expecting big things from two of his rising stars.
“Ainsley Trotter and Mikayla Bird have a chance at making the world juniors team,” Hey said.
The pair will swim a full schedule over the 10 days with Trotter swimming in the 200m, 100m and 50m freestyle as well as the 100m and 50m backstroke.
Bird will compete in the 400m, 200m, 100m and 50m freestyle and the 200m, 100m and 50m butterfly.
For the open meet, freestyler and Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship recipient Jesse Coleman is expected to make a splash and so is Olympic silver and bronze medallist and former scholarship recipient Flynn Southam who is back in the pool following a successful Olympic campaign in Paris.
They’ll be joined by fellow Paris Olympian Ben Armbruster and Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholar Hannah Casey to lead the shiver of sharks.
“They’re the four who are going to try and make a statement,” Bond Swimming’s head coach Chris Mooney said.
“It’s a really good opportunity to just race. Everyone’s had a really big block of training so now we see where we are, good or bad.
“There’s no tracksuits or plane tickets getting handed out but it’s a national championship so there’s pride on the line.
“It’s at Chandler, so its pool we know, and it’s been kind to us.
“It’s where they held trials last year and it was a good hunting ground for us then.
“The team feels comfortable in that pool so there’s really no excuses not to perform.”
Mooney’s squad has just come off the back of a two-week altitude training camp in Thredbo, NSW.
“There was lots of training load and lots of walking,” Mooney said.
Southam and Armbruster will hope to replicate their performances at the Australian trials last year at Chandler Acquatic Centre which secured them tickets for Paris.
“The Thredbo camp was hard for all of us being pushed and challenged every session, but I’m feeling good leading into nationals,” Armbruster said.
“After my shoulder injury earlier in the year I know I’m a bit behind, but I’ve just got to get up and race as usual.”
Following the Australian Swimming Championships the Australian Swimming Trials will be held in Adelaide for selection for the World Aquatic Championships in Singapore later this year.
