Event Preview of the 2023 New South Wales Open Water Championships
A team of 14 Open Water athletes have arrived in Penrith ahead of the 2023 New South Wales Open Water Championships being held from Sunday 17 – Monday 18 December.
These athletes qualified for both the October Distance Camp held in Hawkes Bay and this week's Championships in January this year at the 2023 Orange Theory Open Water Championships.
Five of the swimmers (Larn Hamblyn-Ough (Coast), Brooke Bennett (Vikings), Olivia Emmett (Hamilton Aquatics), Daniel Callebaut (Aquabladz New Plymouth), Chris Callebaut (Aquabladz New Plymouth) have already spent the last week competing at the Queensland Championships and will be grateful for the additional heat adaption as the team heads into scorching Penrith temperatures over the weekend. Swimmers from New Caledonia and Japan are competing across the weekend, as well as several other swimmers from New Zealand including Aquablack #278 Ruby Heath (Neptune).
The NSW Open Water Championships serves as an important selection meet for the 2024 World Junior Open Water Championships, and many of these young athletes will have this on their radar ahead of the meet. Swimmers will have to place in the Top 3 (Australian and NZ athletes only) in the relevant individual event for their age group. They also have to then place Top 2 (NZ athletes only) in the relevant individual event for their age group at the NZ Open Water Championships in January. Selection can also be gained via a 1500m time should there be slots available after the Open Water events (SNZ is only permitted to take two athletes per gender, per age group).
NSW Open Water Championships Team
Swimmer | Club |
Ava Wilson | Carterton |
Olivia Emmett | Hamilton Aquatics |
Holly Smith | Selwyn |
Lena Hamblyn-Ough | Coast |
Sophie Hay | Hamilton Aquatics |
Olivia Bates | Howick Pakuranga |
Brooke Bennett | Vikings |
Chris Callebaut | Aquabladz New Plymouth |
Daniel Callebaut | Aquabladz New Plymouth |
Jack Potier | Coast |
Larn Hamblyn-Ough | Coast |
Alex Dunkley | Roskill |
Ethan Stocks | Roskill |
Ollie Kennett | Levin |
Staff | Club |
John Gatfield | Coast |
Mat Woofe | Hamilton Aquatics |
Gary Francis | Swimming NZ |
Holly Fletcher | Swimming NZ |
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