Article by Andrew Dawson courtesy of the Chronicle.
Here’s our annual A to Z guide featuring 510 youth swimmers, just some of the exciting talent who will dash down the pool at the Hancock Prospecting Queensland Swimming Championship from Saturday.
The Queensland swimming championships will be off with a splash from Saturday, featuring hundreds of competitors.
The team relays will roll out across the weekend before the individual races start across the week.
Queensland swimming is so strong, our state could field a team at the Olympics and snare a swag of medals.
In recent years we told you first about the likes of Mollie O’Callaghan, Sam Short, Kai Taylor, Jenna Forrester, Meg Harris, Josuha Neill, Bronte Job, Flynn Southam, so on and so forth.
So who are some of the next generation stars pouring through the system?
Below we feature 510 young swimmers, just some of the best of the best youth swimmers, but also some of the not so well known who, by just making it to the state titles, have reached their summit in the sport.
Our list is merely a snapshot of the hundreds of swimmers competing.
So where we go, our annual A to Z guide of the championships.
A is for the rising champion, Ainsley Trotter (Bond) who will need a good holiday after her 18 event program across the 15s, 16s and open age groups. We can hardly wait to see her in action, and also can’t wait for Amelia Weber (St Peters) to break the water either. Now there’s a young champ. She was joined no the Australian world junior championship team by Miami’s Karl Albertyn.
A is also for the time-honoured Piper Asquith (Griffith), a fixture on any of our youth swim lists. A is also for Allora’s Aiden Brown, a country kid who is eyeing off a 12 event program across all events. A is also for all the Allison’s coming down from Boyne Tannum SC, Lucy, Max and Sam. What a great experience for them. A is also for Mia Alvos (13 years, Ambrose Treacy), Elkie Athanasiov (Moreton Bay) Sophie Allard, Henry and Molly Adams all from Goodlife Community. The As have it when it also comes to Mia Alvos (13 years, Ambrose Treacy) and Allegra Anderson (Helensvale, 14 years). We always reserve an A position for big hearted Zoe Ammundsen (Iona), while Iona has Hannah Allen (17 years) and Ryan Allen (15 years) giving it their best. This girl Hannah Allen (Iona) can really motor. Joshua Anderson is another quality A, an A+ athlete, while Andrew Callum (15 years, Logan Vikings), Mikayla Ah Loy-Coutts (12 years, Saints), Lucy Allison (14 years, Boyne Tannum), Maddison Ashby (14 years, Rackley), Annabelle Moloney (13 years, Cotton Tree), Ruby Anderson (14 years, SC Grammar) will compete. And there is Molly Adams from Goodlife, Jake Alvos (Ambrose Treacy) and Robert Andronico (Coolum). Here’s another double A – Anabelle Aulert (Bond) and we also have Roxanne Albertyn (12 years, Miami), Julian Angus (14 years, TSS Aquatic), Sam Allison (Boyne) Albert Damin An (TAS Swimming), Karl Albertyn (Miami). Jake and Mia Alvos will also qualified for up to 15 events.
B is for a Bird that really does fly – butterfly that is. The elite Mikayla Bird (Bond) will swim in, wait for it, 14 events across all and sundry in the 16 years age group. And there is another Bird from the Coast, Miami’s Kara Bird. B seems to have some of the best swimmers, with young star Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters), an Australian junior world championship selection, and Hayden Burke joining Bird.
Charlie Ball, (12 years, The Lakes College) and Layla Bourke (12 years, Yeronga Park) just had to get a start. Barclay is a youth swimmer of the highest order.
Beau and Byron Briggs (Goodlife Community) just had to get a start in the Bs, didn’t they? B is also for Jake Bauer (St Andrew’s) and all the Bethel’s from Ambrose Treacy, Alec (16 years), Lauren (11 years) and Ryan (13 years). B is also for a couple of Brennan’s, Bronte and Poppy, also from Ambrose Treacy, for Layla Bourke (12 years, Yeronga Park), Indi Bland (14 years, Bundaberg), Nate Brown (Element), Tyson Bell, Connor Burgess (14 years, Iona), Archie Balderson (13 years, Pelican Waters), Izaac Bebendorf (12 years, Emmanuel), Edward Beverland (12 years, Toowoomba Grammar), Clayton Barton (16 years, Sheldon), Jake Bauer (13 years, St Andrew’s), Billie Briggs (12 years, Iona), Byron Berry (16 years, Virginia), Fletcher Brown (12 years, Emmanuel), April Bell (14 years, Newmarket Racers) and for Mackay’s Audrey Bryan. B is good for Margad Bayarsaikhan (Pimpama), Finn Bourman (Cotton Tree), Matilda Brittain (Goodlife), Zoe Ball (AB Patterson), Summer Bailey (Southport), Ruby Boxall (Somerville House) while St Peters have a promising swimmer, Eli Bruggemann, with Max Bertinato a 12 years Nudgee College swimmer.
C is made for the double CCs, Calix Co and Carlisle Co (Albany Creek). C is also for Alexis Cho who will dive into action for Grammar in the relays, while the Brisbane Jets’ Courage siblings, Patrice and Joseph, will compete. The Cairns Stingrays also have a terrific young C, Lucy Cracknell (12 years) who qualified, while Logan Vikings will be represented by Coby Clarke. Churchie also have, Zhi-Han Chueh, Jin-Shiun Chueh and Maxwell Cunningham. C is made for Cody Coope (Donald swim club) and also for a Iona qualifying pair – Francis and Francesca Chitukudza, along with Tom Crunkhorn (12 years, Virginia). C is also for Hayden Cahill (14 years, Yeronga Park), Hudson, Cooper (14 years Marlin Coast), Maxwell Cunningham (14 years, Churchie), Daniel Czegledi (15 years, Southport, Indianna Cameron (16 years, St Peters), Chloe Cholet (16 years, St Peters), Aiden Clark (14 years), Sophie Crumpton (14 years, Central Cairns), Clayton Sternes (15 years, Dalby), Annabelle Creswell (16 years, Brisbane Grammar) Callen Coetser (14 years, Miami), Lincoln Clark (15 years, CJ’s), Dylan Clive (15 years, Uni Queensland) and the classy Zacharias Carvolth, (Ipswich Girls Grammar)> And don’t forget three elite youth swimmers, Maxwell Cunningham, Mackenzie Crocker and Joshua Collett. Collett really flies as does Ruby Crowther (Yeronga). Jonah Cox (Logan Vikings) will represent his district.
We can never leave out Cosette Cooke (Rackley), can we, or Joshua Conias (Somerville). Clementine Cooke (Rackley) is a great C and so are Caitlyn Hayes (14 years, Helensvale), Kirralea Clarke (Goodlife) and Chloe Maxwell (14 years, Eumundi).
D is for Emma Daddow (Fraser Coast), Daisy Dale (Uni of Qld) and Daisy Dingle (Boyne Tannum) who has an action packed 10 event program, and also for Edwards Dingle (12 years), Brisbane Jets’ Georgia Desses (Brisbane Jets) and Zara De la Fonteyne of Cairns Stingrays. The Genesis Aquatics club will also be represented by two Ds, Annelise and Eloise. Watch for Aarvi Dua (St Peters Western), Daniel Van Luik (Albany Creek, 14 years) who will do a mountain of swimming in IM, free and back. What a great experience for them and also Drew Pratten (12 years, Kilcoy). Ethan Dent (Rackley) will compete in the 16 years 400m, then there is Cady Daniels (16 years, Somerset GC), Sean Dwyer (15 years, Brisbane Grammar), Dylan Clive (15 years, Uni Queensland), Imogen Downie (16 years, Ambrose Treacy) and Mackenzie Dixon (15 years, Moreton Bay).
E is for Ella Ramsay, the baby Dolphin from St Peters Western, and Ella Burdon (TSS). E is also for Emma Doherty (18 years) who will need to get her sleep. After all, she qualified in 11 events. E is also for Enoch Robb (All Saints), Eugene Luk (14 years, Sheldon), for Emma Barram (Toowoomba Grammar), and for Emma Doherty – Doherty knows what it takes to win. E is also for Cael Eley (St Peters), Eliza O’Hara (Newmarket Racers) Sophie Edwards, Tristan Eskdale (15 years, TSA – Bayside) and Elailah Rodd (15 years, St PetersWestern), along with Ruby Kelley (15 years, St Peters Western), Luca Knezevic (16 years, Southport), Tyla Evans (15 years, Woogaroo) and Elkie Athanasiov (Moreton Bay 13 years), Oscar Eddy (16 years, TSS Aquatic), Eliana Thomas (13 years, Woogaroo), Elkie Athanasiov (13 years, Moreton Bay), Tia Eglington (15 years, Redlands) and Cael Engelbrecht (13 years St Peters). Ella Dorey qualified from the small, but productive Wilston club which has several internationals come through the ranks.
F is for Caribeae’s rookie Hayden Fagg and for Carina’s Conor Feeney, along with Callum Fleming and Felix Nielsen (both Genesis Aquatics) and Fletcher Kerr (12 years, Goodlife Community). F can also be for the Farlow’s (Grace SC), Hayden and Lachlan. Keep your eye on the black line kids. And F is for Mia Feltham (Griffith) and for another Coast kid, Helensvale’s Ashton Falicz (12 years). F is for Saffron Favios (Albany Creek), Eva Filer (14 years, Moreton Bay), Dakota Finn (13 years, SC Grammar), Ethan Freckelton (16 years, Rackley), Curtis Fowler (15 years, Uni Queensland), Dominic Fletcher (12 years, Somerset), Noah Fox (13 years, Gympie Gold Fins) and also for Gloriaa Finselbach (Newmarket). They don’t get better than Felix Wilson, a racer from Rackley. And keep an eye on Zoard Farkas (14 years, Sheldon) and also for Ashton Falicz (12 years, Helensvale).
G is for Sophie, Dillion and Rory Greene (all qualified from Ambrose Treacy) and for the Belgravia pair of Iliya (12 years) and Freeman Gale (17 years). G has to be for the Gorry’s from Grammar, Harry and Thomas, and for their Grammar teammate Thomas Garbanzo (15 years) who has a packed program. We have been waiting to mention Ava Gaske (Chandler) in the Gs because we often do, while her teammate Sammy Goh gets a mention. Ferny Grove has plenty of young talent, including these Gs – Elsie Gee (12 years), Ben Grimsey (SC Grammar) and Luka Green (12 years). Nudgee College has this double G, George Guppy, while Olivia Galea is an age group champion to keep an eye on along with highly ranked Matilda Gava. Watch for Toowoomba Grammar’s Mackenzie Grimes in 12 years and Sophie Greatorex (Saints). Ben Goedemans (now St Peters Western) will also be ready to rumble. Meghan Guthrie-Quinn (Nudgee) is also coming through the system. Taylah Guthrie (St Hilda’s) will swim in the 16 years 400m freestyle. G is also for Connor Gadsby (12 years, Turbo Jet), Rylee Grier-Stralow (CJ’s) and Tom Gallagher (Somerset GC). And then there is, of course, Siena Gibson (14 years, Moreton Bay), Grace Gerreyn (17 years, Moreton Bay), Freeman Gale (17 years, Belgravia), Kayden Gibson (15 years, Gladstone South), Jasmin Goodwin (Flinders Phoenix), Ethan Giles (12 years, Bundaberg), Isabella Gray-Law (12 years, Nudgee College) Sammy Goh (Chandler), Eva Greenwood (12 years, Stingrays), Ryan Grimes (Toowoomba Grammar) and Sunshine Grammar pair Ben Grimsey and Freya Goldston.
H is for Ave Hogan (13 years, Woogaroo) Hynds (Samuel and Alice) and Henninghams (Patrick and Grace) who were all from Ambrose Treacy. It is also great to see Emily Holmes, having qualified from Chandler. H is also for qualifying swimmer Lane Henderson (12 years, Gatton), Grammar ace Hannah Davies who will swim backstroke and relays. H’s abound in the Chandler camp – Hamilton, Harris, Ho, Holmes and Humeniuk – and they are all very good as well. And don’t forget Charlotte Hansen. We didn’t. Watch also for Eve Heijnen (Rackley), Hamish Harty (18 years, Ipswich Grammar), Hailey Higgins (St Andrews), Madison Hennessy (Albany Creek), Noah Harknett (15 years, SC Grammar), Cameron Hopkins (14 years, Redlands), Darcy Hodges (12 years, St Andrew’s), Hazel Rahui (13 years, Coolum Peregian), Keira Hannett (12 years, Logan Vikings), Jackie Horrigan (12 years, Somerville House), Amy Hannan (12 years, Emmanuel), Sahara Hammond (16 years, St Andrew’s), Georgia Hood (13 years, Somerville House), Darcy Hinz (14 years, Boyne Tannum), Teagan Hanlon (Ipswich Grammar), Keeva Hatton (13 years, Rackley), Amity Haynes (Woogaroo), Sybella Hinze (13 years, Helensvale), Tiare Heather (Western Aquatics), Aurora Halapua (Redlands) and Chase Holmes (Helensvale).
I is for the best I in the business, Ike Martinez (Rackley Centenary), who has had them singing in the stands when he races for Terrace at the GPS championship. Isla Watson (Albany Creek, 18 years) is another I who will be an experienced member of the Albany squad, and I is for Iona Anderson representing Breakers. I is also for Adam Ibrahim (Brisbane Jets), Tinsley Illin (12 years, TSV Aqua Jets) and introducing Indiana Wall of Redlands, Koby Irvine (13 years, Bundaberg), Izabella Wills (15 years, Mackay Cyclones), and Leki Ioane (12 years, Sunnybank). Go get them kids.
J is for Julia Remington who will swim up to 10 events for All Saints in the 16 years, and for Bond’s Milla Jansen and the 17-year-Ashley Jones old who will take them on in the opens. J is for Jasmin Schild who will be a busy little bee with her 12 events for Boyne Tannum), and also for (Yeppoon Sharks). Also watch for Joshua Spiez (Grammar, 12 years). Few Js will be busier than Chandler’s Joseph Dalgety (12 years). Good old Emu Park has Jazlyn Johnson (17 years) going around while J is always for the classy Jacqueline Davison-McGovern and spirited Josephine Crimmins who keeps on keeping on (Newmarket Racers). And we are No. 1 in the Jamie Perkins (St Peters) fan club. J is also for Julia Jeffers (13 years, Uni Queensland), Jacob Johns, Riley Johnston (13 years, Somerset), Anais Johnston (13 years, Newmarket Racers), Summer Johnston (13 years, Somerset), Julia Jeffers (13 years, Uni Queensland), Jonah Vogelgesang (14 years, Pelican Waters), Jack Gorry (14 years, Brisbane Grammar) and Maya Jones (13 years, TSS Aquatic).
K is for a fabulous talent called Kai Gilbert and for Julian Kitson (Virginia), along with Kody Byrne (Bond) who just sounds like a swimmer. He has eight events lined up in the 16 years. K is also for Sydney Kito (15 years, Stingrays) and Izaac Kopacz (12 year, Fraser Coast), Lacy and Indi Kamprad (Bond) who have 11 events between them, and for Brisbane Jets racer Isabella Kolera (15 years) who has around a dozen events. K is also for TSS’s Matthew Kalogeropoulos, Fairholme’s Bryce Krause, and for Flinders’ Indigo Kieza (14 years), Archer and Harriet Knott. K most definitely suits Sarah Kalogeropoulos (12 years, TSS Aquatic), Mitchell Kluck (14 years, Rackley ST), and is for Fraser Coast kids Molly and Alex Keen, and for Spencer Kilimnik (15 years, Churchie), Julian Kitson (15 years, Virginia), Kessler Merchant (Twin Towns), Kiarna McGuire (16 years, Redlands), Isabella Kolera (Brisbane Jets), Kayla Mcfarlane (19 year, Southport) and Indiana King (Iona). Did we save the best K until last? Kaci Curtis (St Peters).
L is for Javier Le Mercier (Brisbane Jets), Lewis Treggiden, (19 years, Bond) and for Louise Hobson of Bribie Island, and for Grammar boys Jeremy and Justin Lau. Get cracking boys. Grammar has a small army of Ls including these aces – Charlie Lutton (16 years), Isaac Lutz (16 years) and Eugene Lee (13 years) who will be swimming day and night. The Brisbane Jets also have some fine Ls, including Kei Larkin (14 years), Benjamin Landers (13 years), (12 years), Annabella Leveritt (10 years), Teddy Lau (12 years), Ashton and Jackson Lewis. Nudgee’s Lync Lauder is a great one for the Ls, while Luca Widmer (Pelican Waters) will compete. Cruz Learmont (Ambrose Treacy) is another fine L along with Lawson Olsen (13 years, Iona) and while Cooper Love, a middle distance talent from Rocky City.
Mhas to be for Sophie Martin (Somerville House swimming) the lioness hearted St Margaret’s student who does not know how to give up. Hannah Morton (Somerville House) and Isabella Morris (St Peters) were also great combatants, along with Stella Mcgimpsey (St Andrew’s), April Macdonald (Sharks Aquatics), Bonnie MacKellar (SC Grammar) and Elenor McGrath (12 years, Somerset GC).
M is also for Bond’s Matlida Byrnes (seven events in the 16 years). Grammar also have a couple of Super Macs – Ava Mclean (15 years) and Eloise McLellan (13 years, Brisbane Grammar) who may swim up to 13 events. McLellan is super, that’s for sure. M is also for Alice Monaghan (Griffith Uni), 16, who will mix it in the big league in the open 200m IM, Eumundi’s mighty Imogen Midgley, and for the just as mighty McWaters’ girls, Kayleigh and Laurel. You go girls. We know Griffith has two super Macs, Emma McKeon and Kaylee McKeown, but what about 16-year-old Hayley Mackinder and Erin McGarry? Mackinder will let rip in the 16 years. It goes without saying M is also for superstar Matthew Magnussen (St Peters) and for Hannah Morton (Somerville). Now there’s a talent. And M is for Seb Martinuzzi (Nambour Piranhas) and Toby Mann (Jets), Fredrick Morony (13 years, Ipswich Grammar), Mason McIlhatton (14 years, Rackley ST), Jack McDonald (14 years, Chandler), Georgia Middleton (Pimpama), along with Dyshart Morgan (Isis), Oliver Martin, (Nudgee College), Alexander McRae, Luke Mcdonogh, Mitchell Toohey (Gatton), Aden Marsden (14 years, Rackley ST) and Jack Macbeth (14 years, The Glennie), along with Asenaca Ma’afu (Lawnton), Jotham Martinez (Pimpama), Mason Mower (14 years, Southport) and Grammar’s Hamish McKellar.
N is for the Nelson’s of Grammar, Charles (15 years) and Edwards (17 years), while Porsha Nguyen will also represent Grammar. A couple of Emmanuel College college kids, Masoni and Matilda Norton-Smith, will also be competing Ns. N is also for Emmanuel College’s Niquola White. N is for Elya Naderishojaei, 16 years of Fraser Coast, Niame Mulder (16 years, SC Grammar), Tayla Nott (16 years, St Peters Western), Myla Naylor (13 years, Miami), young gun Nala Iosefo who is a rookie on the rise, and Edward Nelson (17 years, Brisbane Grammar), the last competitor mentioned in the program. All the best Edward.
O is for the best O around, Olympia Pope, who is stalking the champion Leisel Jones’ records, and for the next best, Nicholas Osborne. O is also for Seungmin Oh (Rackley), Riley O’Shea who has a busy championship pending, particularly in freestyle, and also for Alex Oliphant and Jay O’Pray both of Cotton Tree. Go kids. And O is for Alexander and Charlotte Olsson, both of Good Shepherd Aquatics, and also Oliver Eustace (Sheldon), Eliza O’Hara (14 years, Newmarket Racers), Jay O’Pray, (15 years, Cotton Tree).
P. P is for the one and only Poppy Stephen while P also suits Paige Priebbenow (Allora, 12 years) who qualified, along with Rachel and Tara Phillips (Centenary) and their teammate Isabelle Pritchard who will be busy with her freestyle and breaststroke. Watch for Dylan Pieterse (Redlands), Eloise Pattison (Churchie, 14 years), along with Charlotte Pattison (Churchie, 16 years) and Thomas Pattison (Churchie, 17 years), and of course Piper Brien who challenges the best of them in her age group and Dylan Pieterse (Redlands).
P is also for Barry Pope, 15 of Southern Cross, Sophie Proctor (12 years, St Andrew), Paige Pitura (12 years Toowoomba Grammar), Holly Perrin (16 years, Cannonvale), Ryleigh Parsons (16 years, The Glennie) and Peyton Scott (Redlands), while Will Padfield (14 years) is coming down from Boyne Tannum.
Q is for Ethan Quirk of Emmanuel College (Sunshine Coast, 17 years), Sunshine Coast Grammar’s Daisy Quinn (16 years, 400m) and for Emily Quinlan (Pelican Waters, 13 years freestyle sprints).
R. R is for a fabulous R, Taryn Roberts (Rocky City), and for the rising Lily Ribot-De-Bresac (Newmarket Racers), along with the Rampton’s in the 11 years, Skyla and Leah. Also watch for Aveline Rounsley (Bond), while Emily Robson (MBC) will take off for the bayside club at the championships. And Brandon Rose (Caribeae) will swim every event possible in his 12 years age group. Amazing stuff. R is also for Aisling Rothwell (TAS Swimming), Hazel Rahui (13 years) who has a big program for Coolum. Lily Roatz (Somerset), Marcus Raine (13 years, Somerville House) and Evie Reeman (St Andrews) will also be all over the Rs. R will also be for Sia Revett (12 years, Ferny Hills), Rose Purcell (12 years, Moreton Bay) and Zami Rockley (12 years, St Peters), and for Melita Ruthenberg (Ipswich). R is also for Bianca Rayward (Miami). We also saved the big guns until last – Blair Roper, Enoch Robb and Georgie Roper – while Thomas Raymond (Noosa) is a good one. Karla and George Rimmington (Newmarket Racers) will also be there along with Millie Rae (Sheldon). There were also a couple of Ryan’s about – Ryan Elliott (TAS Swimming) and Ryan Bambach (Miami).
S is for Aussie junior rep Edward Sommerville (Grammar), Albany Creek pair Sienna Stuart (club relays) and Somer Smith (16 years relays, fly and back), and for Rylee Smith of Redcliffe Leagues. S is for Hudson Sheehan who will be in everything for Bond across the 15 years age group and for Ambrose Treacy swimmer Tai Abu Shamaleh (13 years). S is also for Nudgee’s Poppy Stephen, Annika Silvester (Rackley) and also for Aidan Shen (12 years Chandler), Griffith’s Naiya Saladas and Helensvale’s Bonnie and Ned Short. Elena Staal (Iona) is also another first class S, as is Hudson Sheehan (Bond). Jacob Smith (St Peters) is another S we just had to mention, along with Blake Sutton (Gympie), Joshua Spiez (12 years, Grammar), Amelia Simm (St Hilda’s), Amelie Smith and William Shepherd-Smith – all fabulous talents. S is also for Sebastian Sieben (Lightning SC), Hugo Langdon (Shelon), Tyler Schafer (14 years, Brisbane Jets), Kobe Sergeant (14 years, Iona) and Mackenzie Sharpe (MCA). And what about Thomas Stegeman (Ambrose Treacy), Keira Stephens (Southport), Scout Rosser (17 years, Goodlife) and Bailey Stewart, (Uni Queensland).
T is for Robert Thorpe, St Peters’ ace Samuel Thorpe and Will Thorpe. Now that is a line-up on its own. T also suits Tyler Tan (Ambrose Treacy) who will contest the 13 years freestyle, breast and medley relays. T is also for Taj Benjamin (13 years, Miami), Jasmine Treiche (Belgravia) and for the Tabone trio from Boyne Tannum – Liam, Hayden and Abby who qualified. Levi Thomsen will also represent Rocky’s Caribeae, with Levi and Zachary swimming so many events in the 12 and 13 years respectively. Gool luck fellas.
T is also for Charlie Thies (Dalby). T is always for Tribeca Lui, the gun rookie from Griffith and Blake Templeton (Eumundi), while Lily Titmarsh (Ipswich Grammar) is a great sporting allrounder. Watch also for Tori Delac (Cannonvale) and another northern swimmer, Chantal Thouroude (Marlin Coast). It is great seeing Torie Sprought come all the way from far western central Queensland (Emerald).
U is for Cameron Usher, an elder statesman of the Griffith club and our international visitor, Japan’s Onta (17 years). Good luck mate.
V is best for his powerhouse ace, Andre Venter (14 years) of Ambrose Treacy whose packed program includes a dozen events. Believe me, he is up to the challenge. V is for his younger brother, Lodewyk, and for Chandler’s Nicola Vitanza and St Peters ace Liam Vogel, while Eesha Verso will swim more than half a dozen events for Commercial, and also for Emmanuel College pairing of Diesel and Judd Vickery.
Young Diesel will be swimming until the cows come home, he is in that many 12 years events. V is also for Xavier Villani (SC Grammar) and Lachie Vink (MCA), both 16 years. V is also for Albany Creek’s Daniel Van Luik, Eesha Verso (Commercial) and Rocky supergirl Sally Vagg. Vagg’s a ripper and Helensvale’s Evelina Volz will have the time of her life (12 years) along with Charlotte Vincent (Rackley) and Natalie van Selm (St Peters Western).
W is for Walmsley (AB Patterson), a breaststroke specialist who will also get moving over the 200m IM (13 years). We mentioned Amelia Webber earlier in the As, so W is also for Alyssa and Jett White (Allora) who swam qualifying times. Grammar also have a couple of fabulous Ws, the Wangs, while Chandler’s Wearing’s have a near mortgage on 12 years competition. The Wearing boys were Isaac and Lincoln. The Weier’s, Caleb and Riley, will also proudly fly their district’s flag while the Wrights, Lucy and Oliver, will be all over competition for the Hervey Bay club.
Watch for the Wheeler’s, Poppy and Hugo, both of Iona, and Lucas Want (Southern Cross) along with Chloe Whiddett (Grace), Max Wang (Brisbane Grammar), Indiana Wall, (13 years, Redlands) and Layla Wyper (13 years, Miami) and Eve Watson (12 year Southside Aq), along with Jerricho Wong (14 years, Ambrose Treacy) and Douglas Weaver (14 years, Waterworx).
X is for the young and the old, Xavier Cuolahan, an elder statesman of the Ambrose Treacy squad, and for an ATC junior, 11-year-old Xavier Kriewaldt, along with Aemaebelle and Jerricho Wong (also Ambrose Treacy). W is also for Max Wong (12 years) and Charlie Wu (12 years), and for Dalby’s Micahel Whitby (16 years) who did well to qualify in so many events. X also suits Xavier Metcalfe (Fraser Coast).
Y is for Young, Auriel Young (11 years) of Flinders, Daniel Yang (Rackley) and also Robert Yates (Helensvale), Nathan Yim (Miami) and Jai Jai Yoong, a 16-years butterfly swimmer from Malaysia. Also keep an eye on Yaroslav Zharkov, 17 of Moreton Bay, Yviona Pangan (Gladstone South) and Judy Yang (St Peters).
Z. Z is for Toby Zhang (AB Patterson) who will let fly in 12 years freestyle events and for Maya Zunker (Miami) who will be a relay specialist. Zane Zehntner (Belgravia) is also ready to rumble, as is Brisbane Grammar young gun Samuel Zhang (14 years) who will at some stage swim every stroke. Z is also for Yeronga’s Zoe Hoe, Brisbane Jet’s Miuya Xavier and for Carlile’s Zach Maher, while the mighty Chandler club has Zach Ball and Ivan Zharkov lining up on the blocks. And Emmanuel College’s Zara Wogan will also swim a bucket load of events across the 12 years age group. Fairholme College has a small army competing, including these Zs – Declan, Mackenzie and Jayden Zimmerle.
Also watch for Iona’s Zoe Davis (12 years), Zahri Jarrett (14 years, Somerset GC) and for Zachary Davis (14 years). Ivan Zharkov (Chandler) is a 12 years freestyle primed for action, Zaki Rowe (14 years, Southside Aq) and Elizabeth Zhang (12 years, Rackley).
