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Australia’s elite swimmers have arrived in England from their staging camp in France and are set to fire at the World Para-Swimming Championships, starting on Monday and televised by Paralympics Australia’s broadcast partner the Nine Network.
Heats and finals will be shown live and exclusive on 9Now from Manchester as well as a daily highlights program, continuing Nine’s burgeoning coverage of Paralympic sport also including last month’s Para-Athletics World Championships in Paris.
A team of 26 swimmers, including Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Rowan Crothers, Lakeisha Patterson, Benjamin Hance and Rachael Watson, as well as world championships first-timers Alexa Leary and Poppy Wilson, are well prepared to demonstrate their credentials barely a year out from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
From near tragedy in Tokyo to #ParaSwimming world no1. Tom Gallagher's road to #Manchester2023 is one of patience, upheaval, research, a brilliant surgeon & the perseverance of an athlete dedicated to finding his limit: https://t.co/VxZAyrsV38#ImagineWhatWeCanDo @DolphinsAUS pic.twitter.com/Th7c9s90xS
— AUS Paralympic Team (@AUSParalympics) July 29, 2023
Three-time Paralympic medallist and 2022 World Champion in the 50 metres freestyle S13, Katja Dedekind, said the two-week camp at Chartres, south west of Paris, was successful.
“Our preparation has been nice,” she said. “It was good to put in the hard yards and we’re keen to get going again.”
Dedekind races on five consecutive days at the championships but said she was most looking forward to the 100 metres freestyle, as S13-classified swimmers don’t race that event at the Paralympics.
“I’m also really looking forward to watching Poppy racing. She’s a rookie, she’s got two events, the 400 free and 100 fly. She’s been putting in a lot of hard work back in Brisbane so I’m keen to see how she goes.”
Another Tokyo 2020 medallist, Col Pearse, will contest the 200 metres individual medley, his main event the 100 metres butterfly and then 100 metres backstroke.
“I’d like to say I’m most looking forward to the butterfly, but the 200m has been the event for me lately,” Pearse said. “I’ve really moved up the rankings.”
Pearse forecasted a big performance from medley star Tim Hodge, who won two gold medals at last year’s World Championships, as well as four-time Paralympian Brenden Hall.
“He’s been training like an absolute beast lately,” Pearse said. “Also, Rowan Crothers. I think those guys will do really well.
Live and exclusive action from the 2023 World Para-swimming Championships in Manchester, England will be screened on 9Now.
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 31 July 2023
