Minna Atherton Expected To Race At Queensland Championships: Full Entry Lists

2023 QUEENSLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Saturday, December 9th – Friday, December 15th
• Brisbane Aquatic Center
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Draft Entries

The 2023 Queensland Championships are headed to the Brisbane Aquatic Center just a handful of days away now. The meet represents a last-chance opportunity for Aussies to add their names to the nation’s roster for the 2024 World Championships.

The Japan Open, also happening in December, is another competition at which Aussies can conjure up qualification and that’s where Olympic and world champion Kyle Chalmers is expected to be.

Notably, World Championships Elizabeth Dekkers and breaststroker Chelsea Hodges are entered in both the Japan Open and these QLD Championships so we’ll wait to see where they turn up.

As for the rest of the elite pack, there’s no shortage of talent waiting to unleash in Brisbane beginning on December 9th. Among the ‘who’s who’ of Aussie swimming, the only notable names that appear to be absent include Bronte Campbell, Mack Horton, Maddy Gough and teenager Hannah Casey.

Minna Atherton is indeed entered, with the short course World Record holder slated to race the trio of backstroke races.

23-year-old Atherton hasn’t raced since the Sydney Open this past May where she posted times of 27.64 in the 50 free, 58.59 in the 100 free and 30.24 in the 50 back. Her lifetime bests sit at 25.72, 56.42 and 27.49, respectively.

After that competition, Atherton was touch-and-go for competing at the Aussie World Trials, dealing with an injury. She wound up withdrawing from that event.

Clyde Lewis is another comeback kiddo, making his return of sorts after being out of the pool, at least from a racing standpoint, since last year’s Short Course World Championships.

There in Melbourne, the 26-year-old Olympian helped Australia earn silver in the men’s 4x200m free relay by way of his prelims effort.

The St. Peters Western standout is set to take on the 100m back, 200m IM, 200m fly, 100m free and 200m free events as a testament to his versatility.

Key Entries

Bond – Ben Armbruster, Minna Atherton, Milla Jansen, Flynn Southam

Carlile – Olivia Wunsch

Chandler – Cate Campbell, Elizabeth Dekkers, Mitch Larkin, Leah Neale, Zac Stubblety-Cook, Laura Taylor

Griffith University – Josh Edwards-Smith, Bowen Gough, Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown, Lani Pallister, Cody Simpson, Brendon Smith

India – Sajan Prakash

Japan – Rikako Ikee, Masahiro Kawane, Shoma Sato, Daiya Seto, Shinri Shioura

Melbourne Vicentre – Tamsin Cook, Sam Williamson

Miami – Maximillian Giuliani, Alex Graham, Olympia Pope, Jenna Strauch

Mingara – Bradley Woodward

Noosa – Nick Sloman

Nunawading – Isabella Boyd, William Petric

Rackley – Meg Harris, Ty Hartwell, Bronte Job, Tommy Neill, Sam Short, Louis Townsend

Somerset – Mark Nikolaev

Somerville House Aquatics – Cameron McEvoy

SOPAC – Matt Wilson, William Yang

South Africa – Roland Schoeman

Southport Olympic – Chelsea Hodges

St. Andrews – Jack Carr, Isaac Cooper

St. Peters Western – Jaclyn Barclay, Jack Cartwright, Jenna Forrester, Abbey Harkin, Shayna Jack, Clyde Lewis, Kiah Melverton, Mollie O’Callaghan, Kai Taylor, Brianna Throssell, Ariarne Titmus, Elijah Winnington

USC Spartans – Zac Incerti, Thomas Nowakowski