THOMPSON TO GET BIRDS EYE VIEW OF TRIALS FORM THIS WEEKEND
Februay 9: Telstra Dolphins Australian Swim Team National head coach Alan Thompson will be looking for consolidation from his Olympians and the elevation of his rising stars at this year's Telstra Australian Championships, March 17-22 at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC).
Thompson will get a birdseye view of their progress when the majority of Australia's FINA World Championship hopefuls converge on SOPAC for this week's NSW State Championships.
The Championships begin on Friday and run through until Sunday evening.
Only a handful of Australia's big names will be missing, with the majority of the stars from Beijing entering the three-day meet.
They will be led by individual medallists - golden girl Stephanie Rice and members of the "NSWIS Super Squad" Libby Trickett, Eamon Sullivan and Andrew Lauterstein.
Also on show will be some of the rising stars including Junior Pan Pac team members Ryan Napoleon (100, 200, 400, 1500m freestyle), Ned McKendry 200, 400m freestyle)and Christopher Ashwood (400 and 1500m freestyle).
"There is a real buzz around the pooldeck about this weekend," said Thompson.
"It will be one of the last opportunities for the coaches and their athletes to have a solid hit out before the Australian Championships.
"But it's an exciting time to see so many new faces improving and putting their hands up for places on their first major Australian team.
"I know some of the Olympians who probably got back in the water a little later than the others are a nervous but the youngsters won't be afraid to have a go.
"It is going to make for exciting racing that's for sure."
Thompson has been very excited with what he saw at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Guam and believes life after Grant Hackett and Craig Stevens will present a major opportunity for an emerging group of 1500 metre boys.
Following the retirements of Hackett and Stevens, there will be two vacancies up for grabs in the 1500m - with a qualifying time of 15 minutes 13.16 - and only one swimmer, Trent Grimsey, has swum under that time.
Grimsey finished with a blistering third to Hackett and Stevens at last year's Olympic Trials, clocking 15:12.36.
He and experienced coach John Rodgers will be looking to get under 15 minutes at the Trials and to be competitive on the world stage - although not even a sub 15minute swim can guarantee you a place in a World Championship final these days.
But it's the long term plan that Thompson plans to hatch come four years time in London.
"With Grant and Craig stepping down it will open up opportunities for people like Trent Grimsey, Christopher Ashwood, Ryan Napoleon and Theo Pasialis to step up," says Thompson.
"We will be looking for these boys to part of our Olympic campaign for 2012 in London.
"It is amazing what happens when people like Thorpe and Hackett aren't around - someone else always steps up.
"We have a lot of faith in these young boys and I'm very excited about what I'm seeing."
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