Two of Australia‘s top youngsters, Minna Atherton and Matthew Wilson, headline the Australian NextGen Squad.
The 2016 Australian Commonwealth Games Association’s (AGCA) NextGen Squad is made up of some of the top Aussie juniors who are on the brink of competitiveness on the senior international level. According to Swimming Australia, “each year the ACGA and Swimming Australia select a NextGEN Squad and provides the identified junior athletes with the opportunity to gain exposure at International competitions and therefore, assist these promising athletes to be selected in future Australian Commonwealth Games teams.”
Atherton recently broke the World Junior record in the 100 backstroke, and was third at the Australian Trials in that event– just off of qualifying for the Olympic team. Wilson, meanwhile, actually won the 200 breast at those Trials, but was not quite fast enough to get under Swimming Australia‘s Olympic qualifying standard.
The 2016 NextGEN Squad:
Minna Atherton – Brisbane Grammar Kaylee McKeown – USC Spartans
Molly Batchelor – Melbourne Vicentre Mikayla Messer – Chandler
Sarah Beale – Acacia Bayside Alex Milligan – UWA West Coast
Jordan Brunt – Southport Olympic Nathan Robinson – St Peters Western
Jack Cartwright – St Peters Western Laura Taylor – TSS Aquatics
Daniel Cave – Melbourne Vicentre Ariarne Titmus – St Peters Western
Gemma Cooney – Brisbane Grammar Louis Townsend – Rackley
Vincent Dai – SOPAC Jacob Vincent – Miami
Francesca Fitzhenry – Trinity Grammar Matthew Wilson – SOPAC
Julia Hawkins – Nunawading Elijah Winnington – Bond
Elli Mackay – St Peters Western Bradley Woodward – Mingara Aquatic
All 22 of these athletes are among the 30 selected to compete at the 2016 Jr Pan Pac Games this summer.