Bull Sharks will be prowling through pools all over the globe in the coming months as 13 Bond swimmers across five different teams jet out for international competitions.
The headline act is Flynn Southam who qualified for the World Aquatic Championships in Japan with a personal best time of 47.7 in his second-place finish to Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers in the 100m freestyle at the trials in Melbourne last week.
Bond students Alex Graham, Elijah Winnington and Maddy Gough will also compete in Fukuoka.
Bond Director of Swimming Kyle Samuelson said Commonwealth Games relay gold medallist and Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship holder Southam’s elevation into the highest-profile individual event in world swimming was a significant milestone for both the swimmer and his Bull Sharks squad.
“For Flynn to get an individual spot is definitely a breakthrough for our squad,” he said.
“We are a very young, up-and-coming squad that have been making really good moves over the last 12 to 18 months and we are just starting to see some results of a lot of hard work from a lot of people.’’
“Chris (Coach Chris Mooney) and I are really happy with where they are at.’’
Jesse Coleman and Mia O’Leary have made the Australia A side that will head to the US for a pro-series in Los Angeles.
The terrific job Samuelson does leading Bond’s program has also been recognised and he too will be collecting a stamp on his passport as the head coach of a Queensland team that will compete in the British Summer Championships in Sheffield.
“I’ve been head coach of junior Queensland teams so I have been through that coaching pathway that Swimming Queensland are very good at,” Samuelson said.
“I’ve been around that for many years so when I was asked to step up into this role I didn’t hesitate to take it because they do a very good job in sending teams away to compete, and just in the development of athletes and coaches.’’
The familiar faces on that team are Josh Collett, Matilda King and Layla Day.
“They have been on the cusp of national teams, they swam personal best times at Nationals and they deserve to travel overseas and to get that exposure internationally,” Samuelson said.
“The team we have picked should be challenging for medals.’’
Bond Director of Sport Mike Collins said Samuelson’s elevation in the ranks of Australian representative coaches was well deserved.
“Kyle has done an amazing job with our program,” Collins said.
“He provides an environment that gives athletes and coaches the very best opportunity to succeed.
“The Queensland side will learn what we already know, that Kyle is a terrific leader.’’
Bond also has Southam, Gideon Burns and Milla Jansen on the Australian Dolphins team for the World Junior Championships in Israel in September while Mikayla Bird will compete at August’s Youth Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
