Australian Juniors Dolphins world championship team

Here were another 18 seasons why Queensland is a world power in swimming following the announcement of the Australian Juniors Dolphins bound for the world championships.

Hannah Casey of Mt St Michaels College. Picture, John Gass

Queenslanders best youth swimmers have dominated selection in the Australian Junior Dolphins team to compete at the World Junior Championships in Israel during September.

Eighteen of the 30 were from Queensland, with the group spearheaded by young veterans Flynn Southam (Bond), Tiana Kritzinger (Rackley) and Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters) who has made her third success Junior Dolphins.

Barclay is fresh off a gold medal (backstroke) at the national championships which finished over the weekend.

A to Z OF QUEENSLAND DISCOVERYWATER BABIES FOLLOWING ALL AGES

Miami’s 14-year-old Olympia Pope will be the baby of the squad, someone who has been mustering times in her age group not seen since the great Queensland breaststroke champion Leisel Jones.

Olympia Pope - Miami Swim Club. 14-year-old Olympia Pope breaks a swimming record held by Leisel Jones since 2000. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Queensland talent abounds in the senior Aussie Dolphins, after the states rookies dominated last week’s All Age Nationals and now 18 teens have bobbed up in the next generation Junior world championship squad.

Elite Aussie junior Dolphin Jaclyn Barclay

The young Queenslanders were: Karl Albertyn (Miami), Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters), Gideon Burnes (Bond), Hannah Casey (MCA), Milla Jansen (Bond), Tiana Kritzinger (Rackley),

Ike Martinez (Rackley), Anders McAlpine (Chandler), Hayley Mackinder (Griffith), Thomas Pattison (Churchie), Jamie Perkins (St Peters), Olympia Pope (Miami), Enoch Robb (All Saints), Taryn Roberts (Rocky City), Georgie Roper (Miami), Edward Sommerville (Brisbane Grammar), Flynn Southam (Bond) and Amelia Weber (St Peters).

Richard Sleight (St Peters) will again be one of the coaches alongside Kyle Samuelson (Bond) and MCA’s James Boyce from Queensland.

RELATED LINKS

St Rita’s snap one of Australia’s great sporting swimming streaks

Nudgee claims GPS swimming championship

QGSSSA swimmers to watch at the 2023 championship

CaSSSA swimming championship’s pic gallery

Swimmers from other states in the squad were: Iona Anderson Breakers, Tane Bidois Knox, Isabella Boyd Nunawading, Jessica Cole Wests Illawarra, Marcus Da Silva Cranbrook,

Jaimie De Lutiis Wests Illawarra, Alexander Foreman Kincumber, Bella Grant Trinity, Isabella Johnson Cruiz, Josh Kerr Manly, Johann Szymanski Highlanders and Olivia Wunsch Carlile.

It's a thumbs up from Amelia Weber.

The announcement follows Queenslander’s stunning success at the All Ages national championships last week, and then again at the Australian championships when rookies like Mollie O’Callaghan, Ariarne Titmus, Kai Taylor, Ella Ramsay, Tom Neill and Sam Short shone like lighthouses.

The strength of the Junior Dolphins is highlighted when you consider the likes of Queenslanders Sophie Martin and Benjamin Goedemans were not selected, while young Ave Gaske would have been a bolter.

Among those chosen were:

Taryn Roberts (Rocky City): At the All Ages she claimed gold in the 400m 16 years freestyle, she produced a day four double of 1500m (PB) and 200m breaststroke.

Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters): Barclay would have needed a MAC truck to deliver her silverware, or in her case, goldware, back to Brisbane, so many medals did she win at the All Ages. And then she claimed another two in the open nationals. Amazing.

Hannah Casey of Mt St Michaels College at the CASSSA swimming championships. Action from the CASSSA swimming championships. Thursday March 10, 2022. Picture, John Gass

Amelia Weber (St Peters): Middle distance swimmer Weber was slightly under the weather at the All Ages but still brought home the bacon.

Olympia Pope will be the baby of the squad. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Olympia Pope: Pope is a 100m breastroke talent of the highest order. The champagne corks would have been popping in the Pope household following her breakthrough selection.

Hannah Casey (MCA): Casey is a big 50m and 100m sprint freestyle talent who will gain valuable race experience at the world juniors.

Swimmers gathered for training at the Dolphins emerging swimmers camp in Southport. Ike Martinez from QLD. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Ike Martinez (Rackley): The St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace student is a stunning talent who will cherish the race experience in the biggest of big leagues.

Tiana Kritzinger. Picture by Richard Gosling

Thomas Pattison (Churchie): Pattison keeps reeling in the milestones and this notch in his belt will take some better.

Jamie Perkins (St Peters): A schoolgirl prodigy, Perkins is living up the hype with another Junior Dolphins berth.

Tiana Kritzinger (Rackley): Here she goes again. 1500m swimmer Kritzinger has a heart the size of Phar Lap and will be a great influence on the younger brigade away from the pool.

Milla Jansen (Bond): Jansen is a pocket rocket who if you blink, you will miss her.