Queensland Swim rookies Lizzy Dekkers and Mollie O’Callaghan united at Australian Swimming Championships
They were roommates at the 2019 junior world swimming titles and now Queensland schoolgirls Lizzy Dekkers and Mollie O’Callaghan find themselves linked again on a journey toward the Tokyo Olympic Games.
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They were roommates at the 2019 junior world swimming championships and now Queensland schoolgirls Lizzy Dekkers and Mollie O’Callaghan find themselves linked again on a journey toward the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Butterfly ace Dekkers, 16, and freestyle-backstroke devotee O’Callaghan, 17, will enter the Australian swimming championships starting on Wednesday at Southport wide-eyed, wondering what is next in their blossoming careers.
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Dekkers, from the Newmarket Racers club, is coming off a 200m butterfly time of 2.07.25 which was achieved at the All Age nationals that finished yesterday. If the All Hallows’ School student repeats that time at either the nationals or at the Olympic trials, she is an almost certain selection in the Australian team.
O’Callaghan, from the powerhouse St Peters Western club, is climbing the rungs in both the hotly contested 100m freestyle and her first love, backstroke, where she will race in the 50m, 100m and 200m.
“I have raced at an open national meets before, but this will be my first open nationals (long course),’’ said O’Callaghan, a year 12 student at St Peters Lutheran College Springfield.
“It will be a lot different compared to the age nationals. It will be a good experience to see where I sit among the older girls.’’
The pair bonded on tour with the 2019 world junior squad and they have mutual admiration for each other.
“I am excited with what she is doing,’’ O’Callaghan said of Dekkers.
“She got the Olympic qualifying time in the 200m fly (All Ages) and it is great to see what she is doing at the moment.’’
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Dekkers said: “I am so happy for Mollie that she has achieved such a high level. Even when we were roomies she was determined and worked so hard so it is no surprise to me that she is going so well.
“What I admire most about Mollie is her approach to racing. She is so determined and confident yet always humble and approachable. She deserves every success that she has achieved.’’
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