SWIMMING: The Australian Youth Olympic Swim Team have bolstered themselves into the race for a podium finish on Day 1 of competition at the Olympic Sports Centre Natatorium, Nanjing.
All heat swimmers qualified positions into the semi-finals of their events with the mixed 100m freestyle relay team, qualifying sixth spot heading into the finals tonight.
Consisting of two men and two women the team included Nic Groenewald, Nicholas Brown, Ami Matsuo and Brianna Throssell.
Sydney-sider and second swimmer for the Australian relay team, Matsuo, said it was good to get into the pool and shake off some of the nerves.
“We were all pretty nervous at the start so I think that race was good to get rid of some of our cobwebs,” the 18-year-old said.
“It felt really good swimming but I think we were still a little bit nervous so hopefully tonight we can swim a little bit faster.”
After the Australian Team won a silver medal in Singapore 2010, this year’s team say they too have a podium win in sight.
“The team all swan really well together so I look forward to seeing what we can do tonight,” Throssell said.
In other events, 100m backstroker’s Groenewald and Amy Forrester propelled themselves into the semi-finals tonight with times of 56.35 and 1:03.18 respectively.
Seventeen-year-old Grayson Bell produced a stellar performance in the men’s 100m breaststroke, qualifying 10th place heading into the semi’s in the second session of the day.
Fellow breaststroker Ella Bond qualified 11th position heading into semi’s in the women’s 50m event.
The second session of the day will commence at 1800 (2000 AEST).
Laura Judd
Olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam
