2020 Hancock Prospecting WA Swimming Champs Preview

16 December 2020

With the 2020 Hancock Prospecting Western Australian Swimming Championships just days away, anticipation is building within the Swimming WA community. As the best of the best put together their final preparations, Swimming WA will be shining the spotlight on some races to watch in the lead up to the State’s premier event.

Men’s 1500m Freestyle - (16/12/20)

To continue with the previews of the 2020 Hancock Prospecting Western Australian Swimming Championships, we now change to the distance events, one of the most successful events in Australian swimming history, the Men's 1500m Freestyle.

The Western Australian distance scene is well and truly alive with a number of contenders wishing to take the reins and claim the state title. With the likes of previous distance champions such as Australian representatives Ben Roberts and Reilly Kennedy both missing from the race, the gates have been blown wide open.

The athlete with the strongest ambitions will be Adam Sudlow (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Shaw) who has gone from strength to strength over the past few seasons. Sudlow, who was recently announced as a part of the Swimming Australia, MLC National Flippers, was dominant at the 2020 WA Short Course Championships, with a monumental performance in the Men's 1500, touching home in 14:55.72. Sudlow has shown his immense speed and versatility and should be expected to lead the field early.

If Sudlow is to be beaten, expect his main rivals to come from either lane 5 on lane 3, as Kyle Lee (North Coast, c: Ian Mills) and Jack Wilson (North Coast, c: Ian Mills) have been in incredible form over the past few months.

Lee, the 2020 10km Open Water State Champion has been dominant in the Open Water arena with podium performances in several events. Lee, who changed coaches during the COVID-19 pandemic will be hard to beat over the late stages of the race, and if within a sniff of the State Gold, should be pushing hard to back up his impressive swim which claimed him his maiden 10km state title.

Lee's, teammate, Wilson, also has incredible pedigree over the distance disciplines having represented Australia, in Doha at the first stage of Olympic Open Water qualifiers earlier this year. Wilson, much like his teammate is in fine form, swimming a personal best time in the 1500m Freestyle at the 2020 Hancock Prospecting Virtual Short Course Championships, will also be looking to claim his first Open State Title on Monday.

Others to watch include the 18-year-old 5km State Champion Robert Bonsall (North Coast, c: Ian Mills), Christopher Verran (Guildford Kalamunda, c: Brett Tongue) & Kaiden Richings (Bunbury, c: Elisha Hunt) who have all made a push to put themselves in contention.

There is no doubting that the Men's 1500m Freestyle will be an exceptional race to watch, and with such a young average age it is an exciting time for distance swimming within our State and Country.

The action kicks off at 5:30 pm at HBF Stadium from 18 – 22 December, or watch all the racing from home via SwimTV, visit SwimTV.com.au for more information.

Women's 100m Backstroke - (16/12/20)

The next event to be previewed ahead of the 2020 Hancock Prospecting Western Australian Swimming Championships is the Women's 100m Backstroke in which, yet again, there will be a battle between 2021 Olympic hopeful and a plethora rising talent.

Much like the 100m Freestyle, Holly Barratt (Rockingham, c: Will Scott, WAIS) will enter the race a favourite. Barratt who of course represented Australia at the 2017 FINA World Championships, has been a big name on the National Backstroke scene for years and has won several state titles in the meantime. Barratt who is known for her exceptional skills is expected to dominate the start and turns, letting her speed and expertise hold off the rising stars.

Leading the charge will be Arna Couper (North Coast, c: Ian Mills) who will be looking for a big performance after a recent coaching change. Couper who has seen success in the backstroke disciplines favours the 200m distance and will likely swim strongly through the back-end if she is to challenge for the state title.

Others to watch include, Iona Anderson (Breakers, c: Harry Clark), Teegan Watson (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Shaw) and Kate Harrison (Westside Christchurch, c: Jon Harrison) who will all be looking to take the title as WA's fastest backstroker. In addition, Mia Hollah (Surrey Park) will be looking to ruin the WA parade as she competes for her Victorian Club.

With the incredible performances at the recent Queensland State Championships from Kaylee McKeown & Minna Atherton, all Western Australians will be looking to swim fast ahead of the 2021 Olympic Trials.

The action kicks off at 5:30 pm at HBF Stadium from 18 – 22 December, or watch all the racing from home via SwimTV, visit SwimTV.com.au for more information.

Women's 100m Freestyle -  (15/12/20)

From the Men’s to the Women’s blue riband event, this year’s 100m Freestyle will once again have fireworks as many swimmers aim to take home the Roy Hammond Memorial Trophy.

The race will take place on Saturday, 19 December with some major national contenders ready to race alongside some of the state’s best and brightest.

The heavy favourite will once again be Brianna Throssell (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Palfery, WAIS) after claiming the title for 8 out of the last 9 years. Throssell who is already the most successful recipient in the trophies history is currently in fantastic form swimming strongly at the recent Hancock Prospecting Australian Virtual Short Course Championships. With Tokyo 202One looming ahead, there is no doubt Throssell will be hoping for a good performance with a potential Olympic Gold Medal up for grabs as a part of the World Record holding Australian Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay team.

Throssell’s main competition will come from lane 5, in Holly Barratt (Rockingham, c: Will Scott, WAIS). Barratt also swam extremely well at the recent Short Course Championships, finishing ahead of Throssell in the 100m Freestyle and Butterfly. Barratt is yet to win the Roy Hammond Memorial Trophy and a win this weekend will go a long way to assisting Barratt’s Olympic campaign.

Tamsin Cook (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Palfery, WAIS) will also be in a mix, after recently returning to competition. Cook, of course, an Olympic Silver medallist will be a dark horse in this race. However, her pedigree is unquestionable and puts her in contention with the leaders.

The race will run a lot deeper this year with several rising stars aiming to take down Throssell and Barratt. Leading the charge will be Crystal Edwards (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Shaw) and Caitlyn Ribbons (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Shaw) who are both aiming to make the Australian Junior Dolphins team at the 2021 Australian Age Championships in April. Alongside them, Elyse Weston (Breakers, c: Harry Clark), Kate Harrison (Westside Christchurch, c: Jon Harrison) and Samantha Macfarlane (Breakers, c: Harry Clark) will all be aiming to make a splash in the Open Final.

With a number of up and comers ready to race the Queens of Swimming WA, there is no doubt the Women’s 100m Freestyle will be one of the highlights of the Championships.

The action kicks off at 5:30 pm at HBF Stadium from 18 – 22 December, or watch all the racing from home via SwimTV, visit SwimTV.com.au for more information.

Men’s 100m Freestyle – (14/12/20)

The Male’s blue riband event of the Championships will take place on Saturday, 19 December with the Hick’s Ive Trophy for the Men’s 100m Freestyle State Champion on the line. For the first in many years, it is set to be a thrilling battle between some rising stars on the National scene.

Ashton Brinkworth (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Palfery, WAIS) will be the heavy favourite for the race after a promising performance at the recent Hancock Prospecting Australian Virtual Short Course Championships. Brinkworth was on top of the Nation as he took Gold in the men’s 50m Freestyle, touching home in an astonishing 21.30, breaking the Western Australian Residential record, previously held by former World Record holder, Eamon Sullivan. With this incredible form, Brinkworth will be looking for a solid performance as he eyes off a potential Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020ne.

Brinkworth certainly won’t be without competition as he will have to go through his teammate, Zac Incerti (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Palfery, WAIS). Incerti who claimed Gold in the 100m Freestyle at the 2019 National Short Course Championships is also back in form and hunting the State Title. The Australian Dolphin from 2018 will be once again eyeing a spot on the team, especially in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay, and a strong performance this weekend will go a long way to making the team.

Many contenders are looking to claim the title including Jackson Govers (St Hilda’s, c: Will Scott, WAIS) whom after a recent coaching change will be looking to make a statement. Although Govers is more suited to the 200m distance, his back-end speed should see him push for contention.

Youngsters Joshua Edwards-Smith (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Shaw) and Hugh Moran (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Shaw) will be ones to watch in addition to the big names listed above. Edwards-Smith represented the Australian Junior team in 2019 and will play a prominent part of the Championships, in particular, the backstroke events.

With all these names and more raring to go it looks to be reminiscent of the older battles between Swimming WA greats such as Domenic Sheldrick, Peter Evans, Neil Brooks, Bill Kirby, Todd Pearson & Eamon Sullivan.

The action kicks off at 5:30 pm at HBF Stadium from 18 – 22 December, or watch all the racing from home via SwimTV, visit SwimTV.com.au for more information.

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