Silver medallists from the men’s and women’s National 10km event at the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series, George O’Brien and Chelsea Gubecka both continued their run of success so far this year, moving their way up the ranks to take gold in their respective 5km races at the 2015 Australian Open and Age Open Water Championships in Rockingham, Western Australia
The hotly contested Open men’s 5km event kicked off proceedings on day two, with just six seconds separating the top five swimmers.
Silver medallist from the Australian Open Water Championship in the 10km event, O’Brien was in a fight to the finish with World University Games representative Sam Sheppard and World Championship representatives Rhys Mainstone, Simon Huitenga and Jarrod Poort.
The boys were in a tussle for the 5km title and as they approached the finish gate it was rising star O’Brien who upstaged his experienced competitors and managed to break away to get the first touch on the gate, stopping the clock in a time of 55:35.00.
The silver medal, went to West Australian local Mainstone in 55:38.00, who snuck into second place just three seconds behind O’Brien, with his fellow West Aussie, Huitenga third in 55:38.50.
Next through the gate was Sheppard in fourth, who narrowly missed a place on the podium in 55:39.40 with Poort settling for fifth place, just a touch behind in 55:41.00.
In the Multi Class 5km open water event it was defending champion and dual Paralympian Brenden Hall who once again took the Australian title in a time of 57:35.10 ahead of Perth City’s Guy Harrison-Murray in 1:00:25.60.
In the Open women’s 5km events Pan Pacific Championship bronze medallist and World Championship representative Gubecka was too strong for the rest of the field, finishing just over the hour mark in a time of 1:00:59.70.
After taking home the silver medal in the 10km event at the Australian Championships, 16-year-old Gubecka joined O’Brien and upgraded to gold today, adding another medal to her ever-growing collection.
The silver and bronze medals were awarded to Gubecka’s Pan Pacific Championship teammates Jessica Walker (1:01:20.20) and Kareena Lee (1:01:27.00) respectively.
The women’s Multi Class Australian Champion went to Rakiya Thomas from Yeronga Park who finished in a time of 1:15:31.10.
A total of ten Australian Age Championship titles were on offer today in the girl’s and boy’s 13-18 years 5km events.
The boy’s 13 years Australian Age title was decided at the touch with Breakers swimmer Jack Wilson (1:02:44.60) just getting the better of TSS Aquatics’James Otley-Doe (1:02:46.30) for the win. The bronze medal went to Stuart Swinburn from Uniswim New South Wales in 1:03:47.10.
In the corresponding girl’s event it was Mackenzie Brazier from Mountain Creek Mooloolaba who took top spot in a time of 1:06:05.50. The silver medal went to Emily Doyle, just behind in 1:06:16.10 with Chloe Green from Perth City rounding out the top three in 1:09:06.00.
Waterworx swimmer Dylan Mason proved his potential in the open water discipline, blitzing the boy’s 14-years field to take first place in a time of 1:00:40.00. The silver medallist, David Allen from Tuggeranong Vikings, was four minutes behind in 1:04:15.50 with the bronze medal going to Cooper Woolley in 1:04:25.70.
After settling for silver in the 10km event yesterday, Nicole Conyngham from TSS Aquatics took top spot today in the 5km event clocking a 1:06:59.00. Victorian Laura Davy (1:07:38.50) was second with Alanah Fowler (1:08:42.00) third.
Mountain Creek Mooloolaba swimmer Jack Brazier picked up an open water double, taking out the boy’s 15 years 5km event this morning after picking up the 10km title just yesterday. Brazier stopped the clock at 1:00:19.00 with Cormac Guthrie second in 1:00:32.50 and Kieren Pollard third in 1:00:33.00.
Also picking up the 5 and 10km double was Bianca Crisp from TSS Aquatics in Queensland. Crisp touched the finish gate four seconds ahead of her closest competitor in a time of 1:07:20.90 to take the 15 years Australian Age title. The silver medal went to Sheree Farrell in 1:07:24.10 with Perth City swimmerMegan Stephens bagging the bronze in 1:07:32.80.
The 16-year-old boys remained side-by-side all the way to the finish with just over a second separating the top three competitors. Matthew Avery from Lawnton in Queensland was first with a time of 1:00:20.30. Sneaking into second place just a second behind in 1:00:21.30 was Nicholas Rollo from Perth City with Daniel McConnell relegated to third in 1:00:21.70.
Mountain Creek Mooloolaba swimmer Phoebe Hines was awarded her second medal of the meet with a gold medal winning swim in the girl’s 16 years 5km. Hines stopped the clock in 1:02:05.80 ahead of Chloe Truscott (1:06:36.70) in second and Emma Gillingham (1:07:15.10) third.
The top six boys in the 17/18years age group all clocked a sub one hour time for the 5km event with Daniel Collins from Hunter New South Wales the best of the bunch in 57:27.30. The silver medallist was Nick Sloman in 57:29.40 while Solomon Wright was awarded the bronze in 57:34.30.
Finally the girl’s 17/18 years 5km Australian Age title went to Holly Dever (1:04:52.16) of Waterlions in Victoria with Sarah McNevin (1:04:52.40) second andMelanie Kennedy (1:05:03.70) third.
The Club of the meet honor was awarded to Perth City.
Full results and information are available at http://www.swimming.org.au.
