Minna Atherton, Matthew Wilson Highlight Australia’s NextGEN Squad

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Photo Courtesy: Singapore Swimming Federation

World Junior Champion and backstroke prodigy Minna Atherton along with World Junior Championship silver medallist and 2016 national champion from the 200m breaststroke Matthew Wilson headline an impressive line-up selected for the 2016 Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) NextGEN Squad.

Based on their results from the 2016 Georgina Hope Swimmers Foundation Australian Age Championships and the 2016 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships in April, a total of 22 swimmers were selected for the squad.

Atherton has had some outstanding results in the pool this year finishing second in the 50m backstroke and third in the 100m back at the Open Championships, narrowly missing the senior Olympic team by just 0.33 of a second.

Just recently the 16-year-old also set a new junior world record in the 100m backstroke, lowering her mark to 59.34.

Sydney Olympic Park swimmer Wilson was also unlucky not to gain selection onto the Olympic team. The 17 year-old clocked a time of 2:09.90 in the 200m breaststroke final, just 0.27 outside the A qualifying time.

Rising stars Atherton and Wilson will be joined by, Australian Age champions Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans), Elijah Winnington(Bond), Jack Cartwright (St Peters Western) and Gemma Cooney (Brisbane Grammar).

Each year the ACGA and Swimming Australia select a NextGEN Squad and provides the identified junior athletes with the opportunity to gain exposure at International competitions and therefore, assist these promising athletes to be selected in future Australian Commonwealth Games teams.

This year the 22 swimmers selected will race at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships and face some of the strongest swimming nations in the world including the USA and Japan.

Swimming Australia Performance Pathway Manager Jamie Salter said the grant will assist these athletes on their journey and development through the swimming ranks.

“This investment from the ACGA for our junior swimmers is invaluable in supporting our preparations for the Junior Pan Pacs in Hawaii this August,” Salter said.

“It’s fantastic that our junior swimmers will now get the opportunity to compete against some of the best youth athletes in the world and gain valuable racing and international competition experience as we get closer to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.”

Since the NextGEN support was introduced in 2014, athletes such as Kyle Chalmers, Tamsin Cook and Jacob Hansford have been included and subsequently progressed to the Australian Dolphins Swim Team for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Swimming Australia would like to recognise and thank the ACGA for the support provided for our Youth Development programs.

The 2016 NextGEN squad:

Minna Atherton – Brisbane Grammar Kaylee McKeown – USC Spartans

Molly Batchelor – Melbourne Vicentre Mikayla Messer – Chandler

Sarah Beale – Acacia Bayside Alex Milligan – UWA West Coast

Jordan Brunt – Southport Olympic Nathan Robinson – St Peters Western

Jack Cartwright – St Peters Western Laura Taylor – TSS Aquatics

Daniel Cave – Melbourne Vicentre Ariarne Titmus – St Peters Western

Gemma Cooney – Brisbane Grammar Louis Townsend – Rackley

Vincent Dai – SOPAC Jacob Vincent – Miami

Francesca Fitzhenry – Trinity Grammar Matthew Wilson – SOPAC

Julia Hawkins – Nunawading Elijah Winnington – Bond

Elli Mackay – St Peters Western Bradley Woodward – Mingara Aquatic

Swimming Australia contributed this report.

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