Aussie Swimmers Set Out for Last Swims Before World Championships

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Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia

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Preparations for the 2015 FINA and IPC World Championships are heating up with the Australia Dolphins set to descend on North Queensland this weekend for the second Grand Prix competition at the Long Tan Memorial Pool in Townsville, from Friday, June 19 to Saturday, June 20.

Unlike the first Grand Prix in Canberra which mimicked a training program, this weekend will revert back to the regular heats and finals race schedule.

The Aussie swimmers will also get the chance to race some quality international competitors with New Zealand, China and Korea also entering swimmers in the event this weekend.

Four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Emma McKeon will take on the 100m butterfly as well as the 100, 200 and 400m freestyle events.

The 100m butterfly will be a battle for bragging rights as Mckeon goes head-to-head with an in form Madeline Groves and China’s Xinyi Chen while former Australian swim team member Alicia Coutts will also add some pressure to the event.

Rising star Mack Horton will have a tough weekend of racing, with entries in the 100, 200, 400 and 800m freestyle events. Horton will come up against experienced competitor Grant Hackett in the 100, 200 and 400m free with his regular rival David McKeon lining up for the 200, 400 and 800 free alongside him.

In the Multi Class events, Ellie Cole will test her race preparation when she faces young guns Maddison Elliott, Lakeisha Patterson and Taylor Corry in the 50m sprint freestyle.

Daniel Fox and Blake Cochrane will go into their pet events, the 200m freestyle and 100m breaststroke respectively, as the ones to beat.

This weekend will be the final chance for the swimmers to race domestically before they depart for the IPC World Championships in Glasgow on June 30 and the FINA World Championships in Kazan on July 18.

The event is open to spectators with heats starting at 9:00am and finals from 4:00pm on Friday and Saturday.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworld.com.

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