Aussie Age Champs: Sydney Freestyle Sprint Ace Ollie Moclair Launches Challenge to Swim Faster Than Caeleb Dressel
Sydney’s emerging 50m freestyle sprinter Ollie Moclair has US superstar Caeleb Dressell squarely in his sights in what will be a record-chasing four-month race against time.
In a whirlwind day three at the Australian Age Championships, Australia’s fastest 18-year-old boy in the water, Moclair (Cranbrook Aquatics, NSW) now wants to become the fastest 18-year-old ever– an honour held by “The Condor” Dressel since 2015.
Moclair flirted with the boys’ 50m freestyle world junior record ripping a 21.73 in the heats.
The time lowering his own boys’ 18 years National age record of 22.04, set last December at the NSW State Age Championships.
Returning to win the final in a slightly lower time of 21.89.
And if it was not for the technicality of Moclair’s birthday, he would have set a world-best time.
World Aquatics Junior World Records eligibility state that the athlete must be 18 years old on December 31 of the year the swim occurs – Moclair will celebrate his 19th birthday in August.
But the next goal is to swim faster than an 18 year-old Dressel – the sprinting freestyle legend, Tokyo 50m Olympic champion and two-time world champion.
“I am not worried about missing the world junior record. My goal right now is to become the fastest 18-year-old of all time, and Caeleb Dressel holds that time at 21.53 (set in 2015).
“I am curious how fast I can go – I have until August to work this out and I am so looking forward to Trials (in Sydney in June).
“I really am focusing on my sprint training. Now I don’t do anything more than 2km, I have moved away from traditional training and I have had so much progress.”
The pace lifted sharply on the third day of meet with the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre hosting a fast and record-breaking night of finals.
Australian records, All-comers records, Junior Pan Pac qualifying times and PBs – and that was just in the first four events.
Leny Grigor smashed Mitch Larkin’s Australian record in the 16 years 400IM final – a record established 16 years ago – his 4:16.15 erasing Larkin’s 4:20.48 from 2010.
Not to be outdone, Trinity Grammar’s Christopher Montana continued his demolition of National record in the boys’ 16 Years 50m breaststroke – lowering it for the third time in five months.
In yesterday’s heats, Montana clocked 28.32, under his existing record of 28.38 he set at the NSW State Age last December – lowering the mark again in the final to 27.84.
In all, four National records were set and nine qualifying swims registered in front of selectors for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships.
In other highlights:
Gold Coast’s Koa Stotz (Somerset, QLD) claimed his second gold in the Boys’ 15 Years 50m Breaststroke and in a National age record time of 28.32. Stotz lowering the previous mark of 28.47 (set by Christopher Montana). Club mate Cohen Tarrant made it a Somerset quinella, touching second in 29.34, with Xavier Eagle (Caulfield, VIC) third in 29.43.
Rocky City QLD’s Amelie Smith took her gold tally to three in the Girls’ 17 Years 200m Butterfly, holding off Delta Cross (Highlanders, WA). Smith stopping the clock in 2:13.41 ahead of Cross (2:13.92) and American visitor Alba Arnall (2:14.36). Ava Gaske (Chandler, QLD) will also pick up a bronze as the third Australian to finish (2:16.15).
Heidi Shumack (SOPAC, NSW) claimed her second National title of the meet, adding the Girls’ 16 Years 100m Backstroke to her 200m butterfly win. Shumack’s winning time of 1:01.20 was more than a second faster than next best Allegra Crean (Marion, SA) 1:02.29 and Jessica Melo (Miami, QLD) 1:03.21).
The combined 13-14 Years 1500m freestyle produced the race of the night with 13-year-old Molly Young(Carlile, NSW) holding off fast-finishing 14-year-old Sarah Sim from Singapore to claim race honours by a fingernail, at the end of 30 laps.
It was hard to miss the bright orange caps of Sydney’s Carlile Swim Club with four representatives spread across the pool.
In the end it was Young who touched the wall first in 17:09.16, with Sim touching just 0.10 behind in 17:09.26.
Young leading home the 13 years medallists with club mate Mia Hoo (17:25.66) taking silver with Sieanna Teevan (St Peters Western, QLD) the bronze in 18:02.47.
While in the 14 years it was Sim from Carlile pair Hannah Jamieson (17:34.28) ahead of club mate Laura Pettigrew 17:46.31 and Miami QLD’s Tanyka Goode (17:49.61).