Australian Age, Day 8: Teenage 50m Freestyle Sprinters Josh Conias and Ollie Moclair Leading The Way For The Boys Down Under
Aussie teenage sprint duo Josh Conias and Ollie Moclair have led a barrage of World Junior Championship qualifying times on night eight of the Australian Age Championships at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.
The two 17-year-olds staged a thrilling 50m freestyle battle, with defending champion Conias (Somerville House, QLD) out-touching the big improver Moclair (Cranbrook, NSW) by just three-one-hundredths (0.03) of a second.
HOME BY A WHISKER: Josh Conias takes the 50m freestyle title by 0.03. Photo Courtesy: Bec Ohlwein/Swimming Australia
Conias clocking 22.39 to Moclair’s 22.42 – both swims under the Swimming Australia QT of 22.84.
Ther pair actually dipped under the QTs in the heats – with Moclair (Coached by Bec Wheatley) coming into the meet on 22.89 and leading the way with a new personal best in the morning and his first World Championship QT of 22.57 before cranking out his 22.42 in the final – a half-second improvement in two swims.
Conias (Coached by Tim Lane) coming into the meet on his PB of 22.35, clocking 22.70 in the heat and 22.39 in the final.
To give some comparison, Rio Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers holds the Australian 17-years Australian record at 22.15, swum when he was en-route to his Rio triumph in 2016.
Conias has been one of the rising stars of the National Age sprint ranks in recent years – training alongside Olympic champion Cam McEvoy, winning the title last year and placing 10that the 2024 Olympic Trials.
While the unheralded Moclair went to the Trials in Brisbane for one swim only to finish 73rd in the 100m freestyle in 52.16 – remarkably improving his time to 50.17, to finish third at this year’s Australian Age.
He then went from ninth place behind Conias in the 50m freestyle final at last year’s Age in 23.91 – producing a massive drop of one-and-half-seconds this year to his 22.42 and almost snatching the title 12 months later.
TO DA SILVA THE GOLD: Marcus Da Silva adds gold in the 100m to his 200m win. Photo Courtesy: Bec Ohlwein/Swimming Australia.
Chiming in were Moclair’s club mate Marcus Da Silva (Cranbrook, NSW; Coach Bec Wheatley ) who added the 18 years 100m freestyle to his 200m freestyle win in 49.30 (his second QT of the week) ahead of Xavier Collins (Westside Christ Church, WA; Coach Jon Harrison) right on the QT of 50.03.
Da Silva had already swum his first QT in winning the 200m freestyle in 1:48.19 ahead of fellow qualifiers Tex Cross (Highlanders, WA) 1:49.32 and Collins in 1:49.48.
A group of next gen young men leading the way for a vastly improved group who will forge the basis of this year’s World Junior Championship Team to Romania in August as they set their sights on LA28 and Brisbane32.
For the first time at junior level, selectors are replicating the selection policy used for the senior team at a major benchmark event, with the qualifying times based on the Top Eight times set at the previous World Junior Championships – (Israel 2023) – to increase the chances of athletes competing in both heats and finals.
POWERING AWAY: Julia Remington on her way to the win and a QT in the 17 years 400IM. Photo Courtesy: Bec Ohlwein/Swimming Australia.
Other qualifying times on Night Eight were swum by:
Julia Remington (All Saints, QLD; Coach Ken Sabotic): who clocked an impressive 4:48.47 to win the Girls 17 years 400IM.
Samuel Higgs (Warringah Aquatic, NSW; Coach Angelo Basalo): nailing the Boys 18 years 400IM in 4:21.66
Jack Morrow (St Andrews, QLD: Coach Ash Delaney): who clocked his personal best of 54.82 – first time under 55 seconds to win the 17 years 100m backstroke and;
Charlie Lutton (Brisbane Grammar, QLD; Coach Bobby Jovanovich) who snuck under in the 17 years boys 200m butterfly, clocking 1:59.74 – just 0.11 faster than the QT.
Meanwhile Queensland’s Wearing twins Lincoln and Isaac (Chandler, QLD Coach Tsuyoshi Kimura) have chalked up a third remarkable 1-2 finish – adding the 1500m freestyle quinella to their gold and silver medals in both the 200 and 400m freestyles.
Lincoln winning his fifth gold medal of the Championships in 15:26.14 ahead of Isaac in 16:03.07 and Riley Meares (St Peters Western, QLD) in 16:04.83.
HIGGS CAN FLY: Samuel Higgs off to a flying start in the 400IM. Photo Courtesy: Bec Ohlwein/Swimming Australia.
SO TO CAN CHARLIE: No stopping Brisbane Grammar’s Charlie Lutton inn the 200 fly. Photo Courtesy: Bec Ohlwein/Swimming Australia.
FLYING START: Jack Morrow jumps off the blocks. Photo Courtesy: Bec Ohlwein/Swimming Australia.
STYLISH: Lincoln Wearing shows the styler that won him five Gold Medals. Photo Courtesy: Bec Ohlwein/Swimming Australia.