Cootamundra swimmer Lachlan Sedgwick will hit the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre pool in Homebush this weekend for the NSW Country Championships, competing not just against school students from towns the size of Cootamundra but also Wollongong, Newcastle and Canberra.
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Lachlan qualified for the meet by posting a time of 31.18 seconds at the Sacred Heart Central School swimming carnival about a fortnight ago.
He had to break 32 seconds to qualify and is hoping to swim even faster at Homebush with a goal of swimming in the 30 second vicinity.
Now 12-years-old Lachlan has been swimming for Cootamundra since he was three.
He combines swimming with cricket in the summer and rugby league and union in the winter saying he loves playing sport.
His pet stroke in the pool is freestyle with Lachlan saying he enjoys the 50 metre dash as there is no holding back for the entire lap.
“It’s best to get in front off the dive then you don’t stop, it is flat out all the way,” Lachlan said.
Cootamundra Swimming Club coach Sue Parkinson has been extremely pleased with Lachlan’s progress.
She said to compete at the high level he has now achieved, Lachlan has been systematically changing and improving his technique over the last two seasons.
“It will still be a couple of seasons before he sees where his full potential is but the work ethic this young man has will see him move forward in leaps and bounds,” Mrs Parkinson said.
Lachlan has seen his times steadily improve over recent years averaging three seconds quicker each season, however in the last nine months he has shaved four seconds off his personal best time and knew he was close to the qualifying time needed for the Country Championships.
The work ethic this young man has will see him move forward in leaps and bounds.
- Cootamundra Swimming Club coach Sue Parkinson
“Sue told me in November last year that I was getting close and if I kept up the intensity at training I’d get there,” Lachlan said.
He said he has been spurred on to “really put in” at training since then.
This weekend’s meet provides a pathway to the Australian Championships so competition is sure to be strong.
There will be 1078 swimmers hitting the pool representing 101 clubs from across the state.