The big news in swimming this week was sparked by the dwindling numbers of professional swimming coaches. On the back of a string of high profile retirements, the number of elite coaches in Brisbane has dropped from 13 to nine. Scott Volkers, the coach responsible for the swimming legends like Susie O’Neill and current head coach at the Queensland Academy of sport believes it all boils down to the leasing of public pools to large leisure companies. The poor funding and lack of resources available to coaches is resulting in fewer new faces emerging and aging coaches are either retiring or being snapped up by international programs. Previously, councils would lease pools to coaches who would earn revenue from swimming lessons, gate takings and the kiosk while devoting large amounts of time to the less-profitable art of coaching. Now companies like leisure operator Belgravia, which runs 11 aquatic centres in Queensland’s south east, are taking up the rights to pools. Volkers says high-performance coaching, which reaps rewards on an international scale but does little for the bottom line of pool operators, is often the first activity tobe pared back. As a result, professional swimming could become a sport of yester year, because without the high quality coaches, there will be no swimmers.

Actor Steve McFadden has credited swimming as his secret weapon in his war against weight. Steve, 50, will don a wetsuit to take part in the British Gas Great North Swim on Sunday, September 13. The challenge will see him making waves in Lake Windermere, Britain’s largest natural lake, with depths of up to 220ft. He is doing all this to raise money charity.

Erin McNaught takes the catwalk during the Miss Universe 2006 Preliminary Competition in Los Angeles

On a more social note, Erin McNaught isn’t letting her recent break-up with Braith Anasta cramp her style. Last weekend she was spotted with yet another sportsman – Eamon Sullivan. Confidential spies said the good looking pair were dominating the dance floor at Kings Cross nightclub Kit and Kaboodle on Friday night.

BLK1 Article: ALEX SHLEIBS Photographer HECTOR MATA

Images and Article: © BLK1 2008-2009. All Rights Reserved.

The NSW State Open Championships has created a great platform for athletes
preparing for the World Championship trials next month with 21 All Comers, 6 Open and
11 NSW State Records broken at the weekend.

Eamon Sullivan

Big names such as Nick D’Arcy, Stephanie Rice, Geoff Huegill, Eamon Sullivan and Libby
Trickett returned to the pool once again to make a splash and grab their last chance at
qualifying for the Telstra Australian Swimming Championships but also battle it out for
the massive amount money on offer with the State Championship Series.

Swimming Australia in conjunction with Swimming NSW, QLD VIC and ASCTA also
launched the new 2008 – 2009 State Championship Series where a total of $40,000
was awarded to athletes based on their performances at the NSW, QLD and VIC Open
Championships.

The NSW State Open Championships was the final event in the Series where swimmers
had to compete in at least 2 Open Meets to be eligible to qualify for the prize money
offered at the conclusion of the weekend.

Development and Events Manager, Mark Heathcote, gave nothing but praise for the
athletes and their results in the State Championship Series;

“This newly established Series has created a great opportunity for not only our NSW
athletes but also athletes from other States to race in a strong, purposeful and highly
competitive environment”

Last year, the NSW Open Championships was treated to a World Record with Eamon
Sullivan in the 50m Freestyle, but Mr Heathcote said he was still impressed with the
number of records broken over the weekend;

“On an annual basis the All Comers records will be under threat because these records
can be broken at any time. And when all the big guns come to SOPAC for an event like
this we expect a high turn over of record breaking performances”

“With the attraction of this series to the likes of Olympic and Paralympic athletes, it only
amplified the elite level of swimming we wanted to bring to NSW as seen at Nationals
or even the World Championships”

“The important thing is that the coaches are also being rewarded for all of their hard
work, especially over the course of the Series. A substantial amount of prize money was
also allocated to the coaches of athletes who had either the highest rank for that event
over the course of the Series or the best performance of the Series”, Mr Heathcote said.

RESULTS:
RECORDS BROKEN:

BLK1 Article: SWIM NSW

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