Swimmers swamp short course event

Some of WA’s best short course swimmers will converge on Albany this weekend for the annual Albany Short Course Carnival hosted by the Albany Swim Club at the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre.

A total of 262 competitors from 19 different clubs will take part in the two-day meet which is the capacity number the event can hold and includes a number of high-calibre metropolitan swimmers.

Rockingham has the biggest team of swimmers with 64 competitors nominated, just edging out the ASC who will have 57 locals in the water.

One of the star attractions at the meet will be gun swimmer Holly Barratt, who is the reigning national 50m butterfly champion and also a bronze medallist in the 50m backstroke at the national championships.

National bronze medallist in the 50m backstroke Tommy Sucipto will also compete across the weekend.

Former Olympian Travis Nederpelt will coach the Tuart Hill Swimming Club at the event while high-level coach Matt Magee will coach the Perth City Swimming Club.

Magee is the coach of WA star Brianna Throssell, who will compete for Australia at the Olympic Games later this year.

ASC head coach Marshall McAleese said it was going to be a high-quality weekend of competition.

“This is going a terrific weekend of competition with so many talented and high-calibre athletes,” McAleese said.

“This is a great opportunity for our (Albany) members to match themselves against the best in the State and an opportunity to compete in their home pool.

“A big thanks to all the sponsors and volunteers ... without them this carnival wouldn’t be possible.”

Swimmers from as young as eight through to open age will compete in heats across Saturday and Sunday.

Albany’s representation includes two sets of siblings, Tom and Amy Gawned and Caitlin and Mitchell Williams.