Canada & Australia Qualifiers for the Commonwealth Games

CANADA:

Cochrane headlines national team selection

VICTORIA – After four exciting days of competition at the Canadian Swimming Trials, Swimming Canada named its national team for the Pan Pacific Championships and nominated athletes for the Commonwealth Games.

The meet wrapped up in style at Victoria’s Saanich Commonwealth Place as Ryan Cochrane won his signature event, the 1,500-metre freestyle, in his home pool. He is one of 36 who will represent Canada at the Pan Pacs in Gold Coast, Australia, in August, and is also one of 30 nominated to swim for Canada at Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in July.

Swimming Canada implemented new selection policies this year focused on selecting swimmers with the best opportunity to compete internationally, now and in the future. In some cases, simply winning a national championship at Trials was not enough to earn a spot.

“Our selection policies this year for both teams were based on world standards. We set criteria for both teams based on the 16^th-fastest time in each event from the Barcelona 2013 FINA World Championships,” said Swimming Canada High Performance Director John Atkinson.

Cochrane is one of two Canadians to medal in the pool in Barcelona, along with Hilary Caldwell (bronze, 200-m backstroke), who trains with Cochrane at the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Victoria. Both will be back with the national team, along with other veterans such as Katerine Savard of Pont-Rouge, Que., who set a Canadian record (57.27) Friday in the women’s 100-m butterfly.

In addition to 19 swimmers with national team experience, 18 newcomers will be representing Canada at the senior level for the first time.

“The established figures on the team like Katerine Savard, Ryan Cochrane and Hilary Caldwell will ensure there is experience,” Atkinson said. “As they continue to progress, along with 18 swimmers making their debuts, the team is poised to continue its progression to Glasgow and Gold Coast. It’s all part of the journey we have to the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.”

The Pan Pacs team features 21 female swimmers and 15 males, while 20 females and 10 males are nominated to the Commonwealth Games.

“We have more female athletes than males by a considerable margin, however we have to start to address world-standard swimming in Canada,” Atkinson said. “Swimming Canada’s objective with swimmers and coaches is to focus on a two-peak year that focuses on selection trials and summer championships. We need coaches and athletes to address this in their preparation. It goes hand in hand with competing to international standards and winning medals.”

Although some familiar former national team names fell short of the qualifying standards, Atkinson expects the new approach to set the tone for Canada’s road to Rio.

“It’s not just about becoming a national champion but attaining a standard that will be competitive internationally,” Atkinson said. “Over the next two years this is the direction we’re going to continue to head in. The goal for every athlete making the Canadian senior team is to progress from morning heat swims to semifinals and finals.”

Meanwhile, Swimming Canada’s Para Selection Committee will be meeting early next week to determine potential nominations to the Commonwealth Games.

Des photos en haute résolution sont disponibles ici:   https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ees2dhhjkdyxirl/SjZ0b4lkUS

Cochrane est le fer de lance de la sélection de l’équipe nationale

VICTORIA – À la suite de quatre journées excitantes de compétition aux essais canadiens de natation, Natation Canada a nommé son équipe nationale pour les championnats pan-pacifiques et mis en nomination les athlètes pour les Jeux du Commonwealth.

La compétition a pris fin avec style à Saanich Commonwealth Place de Victoria alors que Ryan Cochrane a gagné son épreuve signature, le 1500 mètres libre, dans sa piscine locale. Il est un des 36 nageurs qui représenteront le Canada aux championnats pan-pacifiques à Gold Coast, en Australie, en août, et est aussi un des 30mis en nomination pour nager pour le Canada aux Jeux du Commonwealth à Glasgow, en Écosse, en juillet.

Natation Canada a implanté de nouvelles politiques de sélection cette année axées sur choisir les nageurs qui ont la meilleure occasion de concourir sur la scène internationale maintenant et dans l’avenir. Dans certains cas, simplement gagner un championnat national aux essais n’était pas suffisant pour obtenir une place.

«Nos politiques de sélection cette année pour les deux équipes étaient basées sur les critères mondiaux. Nous avons établi les critères pour les deux équipes en fonction du 16e temps le plus rapide des championnats du monde de la FINA de 2013 à Barcelone,» a dit le directeur de la haute performance de Natation Canada, John Atkinson.

Cochrane est un des deux Canadiens qui ont gagné une médaille dans la piscine à Barcelone, avec Hilary Caldwell (bronze, 200 m dos), qui s’entraîne avec Cochrane au Centre de haute performance – Victoria de Natation Canada. Les deux seront de retour dans l’équipe nationale avec d’autres vétérans comme Katerine Savard, de Pont-Rouge, au Québec, qui a établi un record canadien (57,27), vendredi, au 100 m papillon féminin.

En plus des 19 nageurs qui ont de l’expérience dans l’équipe nationale, 18 nouveaux venus représenteront le Canada au niveau senior pour la première fois.

«Les figures établies dans l’équipe comme Katerine Savard, Ryan Cochrane et Hilary Caldwell assureront qu’il y a de l’expérience, a dit Atkinson. Alors qu’ils continuent de progresser, aux côtés des 18 nageurs qui feront leurs débuts, l’équipe est prête à poursuivre sa progression à Glasgow et à Gold Coast. Cela fait partie de la préparation que nous avons pour les Jeux olympiques de Rio en 2016.»

L’équipe pour les championnats pan-pacifiques compte 21 nageuses et 15 nageurs, tandis que 20 femmes et 10 hommes sont en nomination pour les Jeux du Commonwealth.

«Nous avons plus de femmes que d’hommes par un nombre considérable, toutefois nous devons commencer à avoir de la natation de niveau mondial au Canada, a dit Atkinson. L’objectif de Natation Canada avec les nageurs et les entraîneurs est de se concentrer sur deux sommets par année aux essais de sélection et aux championnats d’été. Nous avons besoin que les entraîneurs et les athlètes tiennent compte de cela dans leur préparation. Cela va de paire avec concourir selon les critères internationaux et gagner des médailles.»

Même si des noms familiers de l’ancienne équipe nationale ont raté les critères de qualification, Atkinson s’attend à ce que la nouvelle approche donne le ton au chemin du Canada pour Rio.

«Ce n’est pas seulement une question de devenir champion national, mais de réussir un critère qui sera compétitif sur la scène internationale, a dit Atkinson. Au cours des deux prochaines années c’est la direction que nous suivrons pour continuer d’aller de l’avant. L’objectif de chaque athlète pour faire l’équipe canadienne senior est de progresser entre les courses préliminaires du matin et les demi-finales et les finales.»

Par ailleurs, le comité de sélection de paranatation de Natation Canada se réunira au début de la semaine prochaine pour déterminer les nominations potentielles pour les Jeux du Commonwealth.

AUSTRALIA:

Australian Swim Team set for Glasgow glow The Australian Swim Team for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has been announced, tonight following a week of world class action at the Australian Swimming Championships in Brisbane. World champions Cate Campbell, Christian Sprenger and James Magnussen will join golden girl Alicia Coutts, rising star Cameron McEvoy and a host of emerging talent including David and Emma McKeon on the plane to Glasgow as part of a 59-strong swim team for the Games. Australian Commonwealth Games Association CEO Perry Crosswhite said the entire Australian team is looking forward to Glasgow and the Opening Ceremony on July 23. “We’ve seen some world class swimming in Brisbane this week and we are very pleased with how the swim team is shaping up for Glasgow,” said Crosswhite.“In Delhi four years ago, our swim team brought home 54 medals in total, including 22 gold, and with some new faces performing here in Brisbane, as well as a host of experienced athletes on the team, we are all looking forward to getting to Scotland in July and representing Australia.” Swimming Australia President John Bertrand AM said the team has performed in and out of the pool this week, and will represent Australia with pride in Scotland. “What a fantastic week of swimming,” said Bertrand. “We’ve seen some new fresh faces race their way to the top of the podium and some experienced athletes produce world class times. Representing the Green and Gold is every athletes dream, and our swimmers will do it with pride and passion when they race for Australia in Glasgow.” Australian Swim Team – 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games Athletes: Joshua Alford, 18 (NSW), Jessica Ashwood, 20 (NSW), Jesse Aungles, 18 (SA), Bronte Barratt, 25 (QLD), Joshua Beaver, 21 (VIC), Alanna Bowles, 16 (QLD), Bronte Campbell, 19 (QLD), Cate Campbell, 21 (QLD), Blake Cochrane, 23 (QLD), Alicia Coutts, 26 (QLD), Matthew Cowdrey, 25 (SA), Laura Crockart, 19 (NSW), Rowan Crothers, 16 (QLD), Tommaso D’Orsogna, 23 (QLD), Katherine Downie, 18 (WA), Maddison Elliott, 15 (NSW), Brittany Elmslie, 19 (QLD), Daniel Fox, 22 (QLD), Remy Fairweather, 17 (QLD), Thomas Fraser-Holmes, 22 (QLD), Jacqueline Freney, 21 (NSW), Ellen Gandy, 22 (VIC), Jared Gilliland, 19 (QLD), Madeline Groves, 18 (QLD), Jayden Hadler, 20 (NSW), Brenden Hall, 20 (QLD), Jordan Harrison, 18 (QLD), Belinda Hocking, 23 (VIC), Mack Horton, 17 (VIC), Sally Hunter, 28 (SA), Grant Irvine, 23 (QLD), Mitchell Kilduff, 18 (NSW), Mitch Larkin, 20 (QLD),Matson Lawson, 21 (VIC), Mathew Levings, 20 (QLD),  James Magnussen, 22 (NSW), Travis Mahoney, 23 (VIC), Cameron McEvoy, 19 (QLD), Ned McKendry, 21 (QLD), David McKeon, 21 (NSW), Emma McKeon, 19 (NSW), Taylor McKeown, 19 (QLD), Keryn McMaster, 20 (QLD), Meagan Nay, 25 (QLD), Kotuku Ngawati, 19 (VIC), Jessica Pengelly, 22 (WA), Leiston Pickett, 22 (QLD), Mitchell Pratt, 18 (VIC), Melanie Schlanger, 27 (QLD), Madeleine Scott, 21 (WA), Emily Seebohm, 21 (QLD), Christian Sprenger, 28 (QLD), Eamon Sullivan*, 28 (WA), Kenneth To, 21 (NSW), Lorna Tonks, 25 (QLD), Daniel Tranter, 25 (QLD), Ben Treffers, 22 (NSW), Tessa Wallace, 20 (QLD), Chris Wright, 25 (QLD) Coaches: Jacco Verhaeren, National Head Coach, Brant Best, SOPAC (NSW), Peter Bishop, Marion (SA), Matthew Brown, Nudgee Brothers (QLD), Simon Cusack, Indooroopilly (QLD), John Fowlie, National Training Centre (ACT), Rob Hindmarsh, Chandler (QLD), Craig Jackson, Melbourne Vicentre (VIC), Chris Mooney, Indooroopilly (QLD), Vince Raleigh, Chandler (QLD), Richard Scarce, Palm Beach Currumbin (QLD), Rohan Taylor, Nunawading, (VIC) Head of Delegation: Michael Scott, Director of High Performance *Note: Nomination to the Australian Commonwealth Games Association is subject to medical advice and fitness test. FAST FACTS There are 107 days to go until the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games The Opening Ceremony will be held on July 23 with the swimming starting on July 24 31 men and 28 women will swim for Australia in Glasgow – for a team total of 59 12 Para Sport athletes will compete in Scotland, the largest contingent ever for an Australian team at the Commonwealth Games At 28 triple Olympian Eamon Sullivan and Dual Olympians Christian Sprenger and Sally Hunter are the oldest athletes on the team At 15 Paralympic gold medallist Maddison Elliott is the youngest on the team The average age of the team is 21 ROOKIES There are 15 Australian Swim Team rookies on the team – including Joshua Alford, Jesse Aungles, Joshua Beaver, Alana Bowles, Laura Crockart, Remy Fairweather, Ellen Gandy, Jared Gilliland, Madeline Groves, Mack Horton, Taylor McKeown, Keryn McMaster Jessica Pengelly, Mitchell Pratt, and Lorna Tonks. Cowdrey and Freney to lead Para Pan Pacs team to California Paralympic legend Matt Cowdrey and Young Australian of the year Jacqui Freney will lead a 29-strong Australian Swim Team to the Para Pan Pacific Championships in California in August. A 13-time Paralympic gold medallist South Australian Cowdrey will be joined by world record holders Blake Cochrane, Rowan Crothers and Brenden Hall, while 8-time Paralympic gold medallist from London, Freney will spearhead the women’s team that includes 15-year-olds Madison Elliott and Lakeisha Patterson and London relay gold medallist Katherine Downie. Australia will take on teams from Canada, Japan and the USA over five days of competition at the Para Pan Pacs in August, with the meet an important part of the preparation and planning towards Rio in 2016. Swimming Australia President John Bertrand said the Para Pan Pacs team will be looking to continue their outstanding run of success over the last couple of years. “Our Paralympic swimmers were fantastic in London in 2012 and backed it up again in Montreal last year,” said Bertrand. “Taking on the USA on their home soil will be tough, but what we’ve seen from these athletes this week suggests they are well on their way to continuing their good run of form on the international stage and preparing for Rio.” Athletes: Michael Anderson, 26 (QLD), Jesse Aungles, 18 (SA), Kayla Clarke, 22 (QLD), Blake Cochrane, 23 (QLD), Ashleigh Cockburn, 22 (NSW), Taylor Corry, 19 (NSW), Matthew Cowdrey, 25 (SA), Rowan Crothers, 16 (QLD), Timothy Disken, 17 (VIC), Katherine Downie, 18 (WA), Richard Eliason, 25 (NSW), Madison Elliott, 15 (NSW), Daniel Fox, 22 (QLD), Jacqueline Freney, 21 (NSW), Matthew Haanappel, 19 (SA), Brenden Hall, 20 (QLD), Guy Harrison-Murray*, 16 (WA), Tanya Huebner, 35 (VIC), Ahmed Kelly, 22 (VIC), Mitchell Kilduff, 18 (NSW), Matthew Levy, 27 (NSW), Andrew Pasterfield, 24 (NSW), Grant Patterson, 24 (QLD), Lakeisha Patterson, 15 (QLD), Rick Pendleton, 29 (QLD), Sean Russo, 22 (NSW), Madeleine Scott, 21 (WA), Jacob Templeton, 18 (TAS), Jeremy Tidy, 26 (VIC), Reagan Wickens, 19 (NSW). Coaches: Adam Pine, Head of Delegation, Brenden Keogh Head Coach, Adam Beisler, Novocastrian (NSW), Jan Cameron, USC Paralympic Performance Centre (QLD), Harley Connolly, Lawnton (QLD), Rick Vander Zant, Yeronga Park (QLD), Yuriy Vdovychenko, National Training Centre (ACT) Head of Delegation: Adam Pine *Provisional selection

DAY THREE RECAP:  Swimming style and speed on show in Brisbane

The world class performances continued on night three at the Australian Swimming Championships in Brisbane, with Taylor McKeown, Christian Sprenger, Cate Campbell, Daniel Fox and Emily Seebohm all rattling the world rankings in style.

Nineteen-year-old McKeown blitzed the field in the women’s 200m breaststroke in a time of 2:22.10, becoming the second fastest Australian ever in the event behind the legendary Leisel Jones and confirming her eligibility for Commonwealth Games selection.

The time would have also won her a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships in Barcelona, and ranks as the fastest 200m breaststroke in the Commonwealth and Pan Pacific regions this year.

“I didn’t expect to go 2:22.10, which is another 1.8 off my PB that I did in January. I was just so stoked to drop that much in such a short amount of time,’’ said McKeown.

Not to be outdone in the breaststroke stakes, and certainly not in putting on a show, world champion Christian Sprenger entered pool deck like a boxer and then punched out the fastest ever 100m breaststroke in Australian waters.

The Olympic silver medallist unveiled his ‘Gold Speedo Coat’ before hitting the wall in 58.46 and throwing down the gauntlet to Olympic and Commonwealth rival Cameron Van der Burgh.

Sprint star siblings Cate and Bronte Campbell also came one step closer to their dream of standing on the Commonwealth Games podium in Glasgow together, after taking out the top two spots in the 50m freestyle, clocking times of 24.18 and 24.58, ahead of Melanie Schlanger (24.82).

While Emily Seebohm claimed the gold in the 100m backstroke for the seventh year in a row, in a return-to-form (58.92) unseen for the past 12 months after struggling with illness and injury.

The Olympic silver medallist attributes a new training program to her success, which saw her snatch victory from long-term rivals Belinda Hocking (59.83) and Meagen Nay going under the minute for the first time in 59.90.

McKeown, who edged out former Aussie champion Sally Hunter (2:24.91) and Tessa Wallace (2:25.29) in her swim, said she had idolised Jones since the age of 14 when she first began specialising in breaststroke.

“To be matched up with somebody like Leisel Jones, who is obviously one of Australia’s biggest icons in sporting history, is just a great feeling,’’ McKeown said.

“She is someone I have always looked up to, so hopefully one day if I can be as good as she is that is my goal.’’

Meanwhile Sprenger said his sub 59 swim had potentially put the 200m breaststroke – which he won on Tuesday night – back on the table in Glasgow although he was yet to make a definitive decision.

“It was a really good opportunity for me to come out and really set the mark not only in Australia but in the rest of the world,’’ Sprenger said.

“Times like that (58) weren’t even talked about three years ago.

“To be able to do them with some of the greats like (Kosuke) Kitajima and obviously Cameron is pretty special.’’

Jake Packard (1:01.38) and Buster Sykes (1:01.73) completed the top three 200m breast spots.

Rounding out the ranking rattlers, Brisbane local Daniel Fox qualified for selection onto Commonwealth Games team in world record time for his Para Sport 200m freestyle, and then had the crowd in the palm of his hand during his post-race interview.

After a record breaking swim this morning Fox continued to drop his world mark winning in 1:57.68, with 18-year-old Mitchell Kilduff (2:00.60) and Joshua Alford (2:02.72) finishing with personal best times in second and third respectively. All three boys have qualified for 2014 Commonwealth Games selection.
 

In other events…

Men’s 200m Butterfly
St Peters Western Podium Performance Centre swimmer Grant Irvine made it back-to-back titles in the men’s 200m butterfly to open night three of the championships, with a come from behind victory. Led out by Mitchell Pratt from Tigersharks in Victoria, Irvine hit the wall in 1:56.23, just outside the A qualifying time, with Pratt second in 1:57.00 and Daniel Tranter third in 1:57.48.

Men’s 800m freestyle
David McKeon finished his individual program with gold in the men’s 800m freestyle, swimming a new personal best time of 7:54.29.  Although not a selection event or on the Commonwealth Games Program, McKeon was too strong for Jack McLoughlin (8:02.27) and Lachlan Colqhourn (8:13.36).

Men’s 50m Backstroke Semi
National Training Centre swimmer Ben Treffers was a finger nail off breaking the men’s 50m backstroke Australian record in an impressive time of 24.82.  Treffers was half a second quicker than Daniel Arnamnart from SOPAC in 25.32 with Bobby Hurley taking the bronze in 25.41.

Women’s 50m Butterfly Semi
World championship silver medallist Marieke D’Cruz was the best of the women’s butterfliers over 50m, taking lane 4 for the final tomorrow night in 26.38 ahead of Brianna Throssell in 26.74 and Alicia Coutts and Brittany Elmslie who dead heated in 26.74.

Men’s 100m Freestyle Semi
Dual world champion and Olympic silver medallist James Magnussen will be the one to watch in the men’s 100m freestyle final, after another sub 48 second swim in the semi-finals.  The 22-year-old from the SOPAC Podium Performance Centre covered the two laps in an impressive 47.83, with Gold Coast 19-year-old Cameron McEvoy a shade behind in 48.14.  West Australian Tommaso D’Orsogna and Kenneth To from Trinity Grammar in Sydney qualified in equal third for the final in a time of 49.03.

Women’s 50m Backstroke Multi-Class
Defending champion in the women’s 50m backstroke Multi-Class Taylor Corry kicked off the race with a strong start but it was local Queenslander Lakeisha Patterson who claimed the gold medal in the end clocking 39.30 seconds.  Corry came in second taking home the silver in 32.26 seconds and Madison Elliott touching the wall in 37.51 seconds winning the bronze.

Men’s 50m Backstroke Multi-Class
It was a race against the clock in the men’s 50 backstroke Multi-Class final as the number one qualifier from this morning Timothy Disken went out hard hoping to claim the national title, up against the reigning champion Michael Anderson it was strong race. Disken held his stroke to claim the gold medal in 30.68 seconds ahead of Anderson (29.10) and Sean Russo (28.85).
 

Men’s 400m Freestyle Multi-Class
Queenslanders Brenden Hall and Rowan Crothers went head-to-head in the men’s 400m freestyle Multi-Class final tonight. The two spent the eight laps chasing each other to the finish and with under a second dividing them it was Hall who won the gold taking eight seconds of his qualifying time in 4:11.24. Crothers took the silver touching the wall in 4:12.31 and Joshua Alford backing it up for the evening clocking 4:20.08 to claim the bronze.

For full results go to www.swimming.org.au