GRIMSEY AND GORMAN WIN AUSTRALIAN 10KM OPEN WATER TITLES

SYDNEY, February 28: Queensland's Olympic distance hope Trent Grimsey has today taken the first steps towards London in 2012 with a convincing win in the Australian 10 kilometre Open Water Swimming Championship at the Sydney International Regatta Centre at Penrith.

The 20-year-old from Albany Creek won his first major National title by 50 metres in a time of 1 hour 54 minutes 46 seconds over promising Western Australian Rhys Mainstone (1:55.09) with Queensland's former 25km world champion Brendan Capell (1:55.13.22) third and David Browne (1:55.13.89) fourth.

While in the women's event, Beijing Olympian Melissa Gorman (2:00.40) from Queensland continued her open water dominance to retain her National title with a convincing 90 metre victory over 15-year-old former Gold Coast schoolgirl triathlete Danielle Defrancesco (2:02.04)

New Zealand's Alannah Jury (2:02.10) held off Sydney's Stacey Hansford (2:02.22) and Amy Thompson from Queensland (2:02.29) for third.

Grimsey, Mainstone, Gorman and Defrancesco have all secured the first places on the Telstra Dolphins Australian Swim team for this year's FINA World Championships in Rome.

The John Rodgers trained Grimsey made his move at the seven-and-a-half-kilometre mark and was never headed, leaving the rest of the field to fight it out for the minor placings

With 2008 Olympian Ky Hurst back swimming in the Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships and Grant Hackett and Craig Stevens in retirement, it leaves the door open for new male talent to emerge on the road to London in four years time.

"I watched the Olympics last year and couldn't wait to start training again to try and make the World Championships - it was so inspirational, particularly after finishing third at the Olympic Trials in the 1500 metres," said Grimsey.

"At the moment I'm going to keep doing the open water and the 1500m in the pool until I have to make choices down the track.

"I have tapered for the open water and I'm just going to try and hang on to the taper until the pool events in two weeks time."

Grimsey said he had been inspired by British distance star David Davies, who is one of the fastest 1500m freestylers in the world and who finished second in the Olympics in the 10km.

"He has changed distance swimming that's for sure; what he has done is amazing and I certainly have enormous respect for him," said Grimsey, who knows he has a tough job ahead of him in the 1500m.

"Other swimmers in the field, like Robert Hurley and Ryan Napoleon have so much more speed than I do over 400 metres, but if I can come home over the back end and break 15 minutes 12 seconds (my personal best) I'll be ecstatic."

Gorman has established herself as Australia's premier 10km swimmer and like Grimsey will set her sights on the pool events in the 200, 400, 800 and 1500m metres freestyle.

"I had to change tactics after the girls went out pretty quick from the start," said Gorman.

"It was my plan to try and get away early but with the pace really on, I decided to sit with the3 pack and made my move at the 7.5km mark.

"The more 10km events you swim you learn not to panic when things don't go according to plan."

The performances of Mainstone and Defrancesco come hot on the heals of their silver medal winning efforts over the 10km distance at the recent Junior Pan Pacs in Guam.

"It is very encouraging for our junior development that these two youngsters have stepped up so soon - it is a credit to themselves and their coaches Matt McGee (Mainstone) and Denis Cotterell (Defrancesco)," said National Open Water head coach Greg Towle.

They will now line up in tomorrow's five kilometre event, with Grimsey favoured to win his first 1500 metres freestyle title when he reverts to the pool for the Telstra Australian Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from March 17-22.

There will be no rest for Gorman either with a full book of swims between 200 and 1500m with the 800 and 1500m her two main events.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN WATER SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS, Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith, DAY ONE,  10 kilometre FINALS:

MEN

OPEN:

T Grimsey (Albany Creek, QLD) 1 hour 54 mins. 46 secs

R Mainstone (City of Perth, WA) 1:55.09

B Capell (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:55.13

17-18 years:

J Killey (Hunter, NSW) 1:55:22

P Ryan (NZ) 1:55:23

K Radford (NZ) 1:55:45

 

16 years:

M Halson (Surrey Park, VIC) 2:02:46.00

K Logan (Southside Aquatics, QLD) 2:04:18 

J MacFarlan (West Coast, WA) 2:04:22  

15 years:

J Beard (Bayside, NSW) 1:58:15.00

R Grimsey (Albany Creek, QLD) 2:06:05

J Richardson (Albany Creek, QLD) 2:06:06     

 

14 years:

N Barrett (Gardens, QLD) 2:06:04.00

C Arthur (Gardens, QLD) 2:06:59         

 P Cobiac (United, NSW) 2:09:47

WOMEN

OPEN:

M Gorman (Redcliffe Leagues, QLD) 2:00.40

D Defrancesco (Pro-Ma Miami, QLD) 2:02.04

A Jury (New Zealand) 2:02.10

 

17-18 years:

A Jury (NZL) 2:02:10

S Hansford (Bankstown Sports, NSW) 2:02:22     

J Traficante (Telopea, NSW) 2:04:29

 

16 years:

D Defrancesco (Pro-Ma Miami, QLD) 2:02:04

C Zillman (Yeronga Park, QLD) 2:08:35

L McNamara (Surrey Park, VIC) 2:09:27

 

15 years:

S Watts (Cherrybrook Carlile, NSW) 2:15:08

S Furse (Clovercrest, SA) 2:18:20

C Palmer (Picton, NSW) 2:19:38

14 years:

B Robertson (Surrey Park, VIC) 2:09:39

C Hansford (Bankstown Sports, NSW)2:13:43

E Suters (Campbelltown, NSW) 2:15:47