Olympian Tommaso D’Orsogna Cameos At West Aussie State C’ships

2017 WEST AUSTRALIA SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2017 Western Australia State Open and Age Short Course Championships wrapped up over the weekend, where both junior and senior level athletes took to the HBF Stadium Pool. At stake were roster spots on the West Australia Short Course State Team, of which 47 age group swimmers were ultimately named. The SC State roster will represent West Australia at the upcoming National State Team Championships in Canberra September 22nd-24th, as well as the Australian Short Course Swimming Championships in Adelaide towards the end of October.

On a team level, Busselton took the overall Country Club title with 182 points, while UWA-West Coast was the Metropolitan Club overall winner with 1885.5 points to its credit.

Short Course Championships Highlights

2016 Olympic medalist Tamsin Cook made a return to the pool, as the 18-year-old South African-born Aussie swimmer had been on a voluntary hiatus from both training and competition since February of this year. Back at it in Mount Claremont this weekend, Cook collected 4 golds over the course of the meet.

The freestyle specialist kicked off her campaign with a win in the 400m freestyle in a time of 4:09.69, winning by over 11 seconds. She also took gold in the 17/18 100m freestyle with a time of 55.75, followed by an overall win in the 200m free with a mark of 2:00.20. Cook’s UWA West Coast squad was also the women’s 4x100m freestyle championship title winner, with Cook splitting 56.72 on the 2nd leg.

Another member of that gold medal-garnering relay was UWA teammate Brianna Throssell, a 2016 Olympic finalist in the women’s 200m butterfly. As part of the 4×100 free squad here in West Australia, Throssell notched an opening spit of 55.52 after winning the individual 100m free event in a time of 54.27. The 21-year-old also clocked a 100 fly prelim time of 1:01.42.

Holly Barratt, who had a dream-like summer by becoming Australia’s oldest-ever elite international team rookie by qualifying for Budapest at the age of 29, doubled up on backstroke wins in Mount Claremont. Representing Rockingham, one of the Swimming Australia High Performance Centers, Barratt clocked 58.78 in the 100m and 2:14.56 in the 200m, while also placing 1st in the women’s 12&O 50m free in a mark of 25.94.

Giving fans a blast from the past was 26-year-old Tommaso D’Orsogna, who has been relatively quiet on the international swimming scene since winning bronze as a member of the Aussie men’s 4x100m medley relay in London. D’Orsogna made a cameo on his UWA West Coast 4x100m freestyle relay, which won in 3:17.01, while the 2015 Australian National University graduate also won the individual 50m freestyle in 22.20, a new personal best.

The West Australia State Team roster can be seen in its entirety here.

 

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Majer99
6 years ago

Think one of the major items missed was Joshua Edwards-Smith, 14, going 54/1:57 for the 100 and 200 back.

Uberfan
Reply to  Majer99
6 years ago

If true that’s insane, 1:57 at 14 is mind blowing

straightblackline
Reply to  Uberfan
6 years ago

This is short course, remember. Still an impressive time though.

commonwombat
6 years ago

Positive news to actually see Cook back competing; if this “holds” (and is not just a one-off); it would certainly strengthen the AUS W4X200 and she would most definitely be a contender for individual berth in 200/400 fr.

Solid showing from Barrett who did perform creditably in Budapest. However, the battle for individual spots in W back is likely to be cut-throat over the next couple of years whatever Seebohm’s future may be with the likes of Atherton, McKeown Jr & Whittaker pushing the likes of Seebohm, Barrett & Wilson.

Best wishes for D’Orsogna in his medical career; one can only think this outing to be a rarity rather than any serious continuation of a competitive career

aquajosh
Reply to  commonwombat
6 years ago

It can be done. Dr. Mark Warnecke was 35 when he won the 50 Breast at 2005 Worlds for Germany.

commonwombat
Reply to  aquajosh
6 years ago

It can but if he is now undertaking his hospital internship, the flexibility is far less than whilst studying … or later on where his career path may be more settled.

If we actually see him competing at any of the major LCM meets then it would signify something more serious but hard to see what paths he would still have to selection in a full natl team

Anon
6 years ago

Throssel didn’t swim the final and on the day was the 5th fastest 100 flyer, fastest being a 16yo going a 1.00.27 in the heats
There is no 12+O AGE group but tam did win the 17/18 AGE GROUP coming 5th in open. Also 2nd in the 400 fr was 5sec behind (15yo)
Just some facts that seemed to be overlooked, sorry if it seemed negative

gregor
6 years ago

Tommaso D’Orsogna won a bronze medal in the 100m free at the World Short Course last year and was retiring from swimming?

mcgregor
6 years ago

Tommaso D’Orsogna won a bronze medal in the 100m free at the World Short Course last year and was retiring from swimming?

G.I.N.A
6 years ago

It’s Dr D’Orsogna now . Tommo at least had the explanation for up & down international swims – not easy when you are a med student & then resident doctor .

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