Sheil primed for top effort

AN overseas campaign is awaiting Michael Sheil after Sunday's Kings of the Coast ocean swim at Caloundra.

Michael Sheil is leading the Queensland Ocean Swim Series heading into the final race this weekend. Picture: Contributed

AN overseas campaign is awaiting Michael Sheil after Sunday’s Kings of the Coast ocean swim at Caloundra.

Sheil, 23, is leading the Queensland Ocean Swim Series heading into the final race this weekend.

He finished third and second at the first two races of the series, at Tangalooma and Coolangatta, and needs only a solid finish in the 3.8km open water swim to take home the title.

The winner of the series receives a trip to Fiji to compete at a swimming festival and Brisbane’s Sheil is hoping to race in the United States as well.

“I’m hopefully heading to America in a couple of months to race across Lake Tahoe in California,” he said yesterday.

“It’s a relay swim, about 18km, and we’re just finalising a team.”

It hasn’t been an easy season for Sheil though.

He has battled illness and performed well below his best at the Australian Open Water Championships in March.

“With my health issues I didn’t get the result I wanted but I was still in the top 15,” he said.

Sheil took about 40 minutes to complete the Caloundra swim last year in perfect conditions.

He trains mostly for races between 5-10km and says a 3.8km race is more like a “sprint”.

“I love the race and it’s really good going around the headland,” he said.

“Hopefully conditions are like last year but I prefer the longer races, because I get better the longer I go.

“With these smaller races, especially with the two I’ve already done, you have to basically get out in front and try to hold on.

“It’s almost considered a sprint race for longer distance racers – 3.8 is a nice distance but it’s still a bit of a sprint.

“I’ll get out, try to get a good start and go from there.”

Sheil, who trains at Lawnton Swimming Club, said his training partners Trent and Codie Grimsey would be a big threat if they decided to swim at the event.

The Grimseys finished first and second at the Noosa Blue Water 2km swim at the weekend.

“They’re my training partners and really quality swimmers,” Sheil said.

“I turn up to each race with everyone in mind as a threat.

“They are a threat until you finish the race. It’s going to be tough.”

Swimmers will also battle for the Sunshine Coast Daily Short Course title over 750m at Kings Beach on Sunday.

KINGS OF THE COAST

Sunday, May 29

Third round of Queensland Ocean Swim Series

Moffat Beach to Kings Beach

Individual or two people.

1.6km and 2.2km legs

Sunshine Coast Daily Short Course (750m)

Starts and finishes at Kings Beach

Entries close on Friday, May 27.

Originally published as Sheil primed for top effort