Dolphins rookies on the rise

 

Swimming Australia: August 11, 2018: Dolphins rookies Jasmine Greenwood and Ben Popham continued to impress at the Pan Pacs Para Swimming Championships in Cairns today, with the teenagers joining a host of Aussie talent progressing through to tonight’s finals.

At just 13 years of age Greenwood is the youngest on the Australian Dolphins swim team and competing in Cairns is rounding out a big year for the Year 8 student at Shoalhaven High School in Nowra on the NSW South Coast.

A debutant on the Australian team at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast earlier in the year, the S10 swimmer says she’s ‘learning lots’ in her first year as a member of the Dolphins team, including competing alongside Canadian world record holder Aurelie Rivard.

 

Qualifying fourth fastest for tonight’s final of the women’s SM10 200m IM, behind fellow Dolphin Katherine Downie, Greenwood said she was happy with her swim in the unusually colder conditions at the Tobruk Memorial Pool in Cairns this morning.

 

“It’s a really good heat swim and what I was aiming for so I’m pretty happy considering the conditions today,” said Greenwood.

 

“I’ve learnt a lot this year, especially how to handle myself, and my nerves, and be more mature because it’s hard to be here being so young, but you adapt.”

 

“I’m learning more about how to pace in the heats and then race finals faster, which has been really helpful and competing in a warm climate.”

 

The women’s SM10 final of the 200m IM will be Greenwood’s chance to continue that improvement tonight, alongside Dolphins teammates Paige Leonhardt and Downie, as well as international Paralympic stars Rivard and Sophie Pascoe from New Zealand.

 

In other women’s 200m IM heats, Madeleine Scott was the best of the SM9 swimmers hitting the wall in 2.42.26 with Lakeisha Patterson the best of the SM8 class stopping the clock in 2.48.75.

 

Ben ‘the pop gun’ Popham continued his impressive meet to set a new personal best time in the heats of the men’s 200m IM. 

 

Fresh from gold in last night’s S8 100m freestyle, the 17-year-old shaved around three seconds off his best with one eye on another medal tonight. Teammate Jesse Aungles, also red hot, and goes into the final tonight as the fastest qualifier in 2.29.23.

 

Fellow 17-year-old Timothy Hodge was the best of the SM9 swimmers securing lane 4 for tonight’s final with a time of 2.18.80, ahead of a host of Dolphins including Timothy Disken, Logan Powell and Brenden Hall.

 

Liam Schluter was the best of the SM14 swimmers in the 200m IM and looks set for gold tonight, while Queenslander Jacob Templeton will be looking for his first gold of the meet in the SM 13 200m IM.

 

A gold medallist in the 50m breaststroke last night, Grant ‘Scooter’ Patterson returned to the water this morning qualifying with yet another strong swim in the 50m backstroke.

 

The 29-year-old hit the wall in 58.62, just a shade off his personal best time and said he’s looking forward to tonight’s final.

 

Finals action will start at 5.00pm tonight at the Tobruk Memorial Pool in Cairns or head to www.swimming.org.au for full live coverage, live stream and results online.

 

Australian Dolphins Medallists – Day 2

 

Gold - 6
Ellie Cole – Gold – S9 100m Freestyle
Ben Popham – Gold – S8 100m Freestyle
Rowan Crothers – Gold – S10 100m Freestyle
Grant Patterson – Gold – SB2 – 50m Breaststroke
Relay – Gold – S14 4x100m Freestyle Relay - Liam Schluter, Daniel Fox, Jamie
Relay – Gold – 34-point medley relay - Timothy Hodge, Rick Pendleton, Timothy Disken, Matt Levy

 

Silver - 2
Lakeisha Patterson – Silver – S8 100m Freestyle

 

Ahmed Kelly – Silver – SB3 50m Breaststroke

 

Bronze - 3
Paige Leonhardt – Bronze – S10 100m Freestyle

 

Rachel Watson – Bronze – SB3 50m Breaststroke
Guy Harrison-Murray – Bronze - S10 100m Freestyle

 

Australian Dolphins Medallists – Day 1

 

 

 

Gold 13

 

Lakeisha Patterson – Gold – 400m Freestyle S8
Ellie Cole – Gold – 400m Freestyle S9

 

Matt Levy – Gold – 400m Freestyle S7

 

Brenden Hall – Gold – 400m Freestyle S9

 

Rowan Crothers – Gold 400m Freestyle S10
Braedan Jason – Gold – 400m Freestyle S13
Grant Patterson – Gold – 200m Freestyle S3

 

Liam Schulter – Gold – 200m Freestyle S14
Paige Leonhardt – Gold – 100m Breaststroke SB9
Blake Cochrane – Gold – 100m Breaststroke SB7

 

Timothy Disken – Gold – 100m Breaststroke SB8
Rick Pendleton – Gold – 100m Breaststroke SB9
Liam Bekric – Gold – 100m Breaststroke SB13

 

Silver 11
Monique Murphy – Silver – 400m Freestyle S10
Katja Dedekind – Silver – 400m Freestyle S13

 

Logan Powell – Silver – 400m Freestyle S9

 

Jacob Templeton – Silver - 400m Freestyle S13
Daniel Fox – Silver - 200m Freestyle S14
Tiffany Thomas-Kane – Silver – 100m Freestyle SB7
Keira Stephens – Silver – 100m Breaststroke SB9
Jaime-Lee Getson – Silver – 100m Breaststroke SB14
Rohan Bright – Silver – 100m Breaststroke SB7
Timothy Hodge – Silver – 100m Breaststroke SB8
20-point Relay – Silver – Rachael Watson, Ahmed Kelly, Ashley McConnell, Grant Patterson

 

Bronze - 4
Jesse Aungles - Bronze – 400m Freestyle S8

Jasmine Greenwood – Bronze – 400m Freestyle S10
Guy Harrison Murray – Bronze – 400m Freestyle S10

Madeleine Scott – Bronze – 100m Breaststroke SB9

 

For Australian Dolphins Team requests Cairns, please contact:

 

Lach Searle | 0488 076 088

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