Piranhas swimmers ramp up training volume in race for state championships

Front row from left, State Short Course Qualifiers Milla Tomlinson, Georgia Steinhardt-Lai, Darci O’Brien, Hamish Jackson and Zac Nash-Smith. Absent: Bas Martinuzzi. Middle: Coach David Simon, Connor Humphrey, Jackson McKenzie. Back row: Ivy Tomlinson, Rebecca Mullock, Ebony Ensing, Shardae Wornall-Buxton and Amy Mullock.

With days getting longer, the mornings warmer, and sunrises and sunsets more spectacular at Nambour Aquatic Centre, the Piranhas are ramping up their volume in training as they attempt to qualify swimmers for the 2022 Queensland Swimming Championships in December. This will be no easy feat, and they know it. 

Head Coach David Simon is helping swimmers map out their pathways, competing in multiple meets and participating in representative clinics over the coming months. 

On the weekend 16 Piranhas contested the Cotton Tree Swimming Club Transition Meet aiming to practice race strategies, specifically for 200m distances.

Over coming weeks swimmers that have qualified for Wide Bay Regional age squads will attend a Performance Swim Clinic at Sunshine Coast Grammar on September 10, Kawana Swimming Club State Prep Meet on September 16 and 17 and a three-day Performance Camp in Brisbane in the  school holidays.

September will see the Widebay Swimming Relay Training Day at Peregian Springs  where 12 Nambour swimmers will attend. 

“Young swimmers are training between 4 and 6 sessions a week, for 1.5 to 2 hours and regularly swimming between 4 and 6 kilometers at any one session,” coach Simon said. “It definitely takes a love of the sport, of swimming with mates to have them coming back for more ... and learning to become comfortably uncomfortable. My wish is that these swimmers gain an unfair advantage in life, rather than just the swimming pool.” 

Meanwhile, swimmer Hamish Jackson has   made the Wide Bay Patrons Shield team, where the top two swimmers (13 and under) from each stroke, will travel to the Gold Coast to compete in an inter-regional Meet. “There will be no catching their breath as these swimmers continue to strive for excellence,” said Simon. 

Nambour resumes their Monday night Club racing on September 12 at 6pm. Contact the Club: nambour@widebayswimming.org.au