Matthew Wilson Lowers Aussie NAG Record While Qualifying For Worlds

2017 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, April 9th – Thursday, April 13th
• Brisbane Aquatic Centre
• Prelims at 11am local/Finals at 7:30pm local
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18-year-old Matthew Wilson had previously come so close to making an Australian international elite senior roster that he could practically taste it, but tonight the Sydney Olympic Park athlete made it happen. Competing in the men’s 200m breaststroke final in Brisbane, Wilson scorched a personal best mark of 2:09.29 to take the national title and qualify for an individual spot on the green and gold World Championships line-up.

Having been on the rise for the past year+, Wilson has been within hundredths of making previous senior elite meet cuts. His 2:09.90 at this same meet last year, which doubled as the Aussie Olympic Trials, fell just .26 off of the FINA A time, while he finished .03 out of 2nd place in the 100m breaststroke. The World Junior Championships silver medalist was also .07 shy of the QT when claiming the Australian Short Course National title last November.

Working diligently under the guidance of Coach Adam Kable, Wilson sealed the deal tonight, making his 2:09.29 the new Australian age group record for 18-year-olds. Pointing to the promise of Aussie men in this event’s near future, Wilson’s compatriots on the podium were also just 18 years of age.  Although silver medalist Zac Stubblety-Cook and bronze medalist George Harley missed the Aussie-mandated QT for Budapest, the fact that they finished in respective times of 2:10.53 and 2:10.67 is enormously positive for the discipline drought the green and gold has suffered as of late in this event.