Sunshine Coast swimmers Kiera Stephens, Ben Hance, Katja Dedekind, Ruby Storm and Liam Schulter are set to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympic Games next month
Coast para athletes and USC Spartans swimmers are looking to improve ahead of next month’s Olympic Games.
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Five Coast para athletes are ready to go after being selected to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics next month.
USC Spartans athletes Kiera Stephens, Ben Hance, Katja Dedekind and Ruby Storm and Kawana product Liam Schulter will join the rest of the Australian team including USC coach Chris Mooney and superstar Kaylee McKeown over the next few weeks.
Spartans para head coach Nathan Doyle said he was amazed with how well his athletes were performing.
Young gun Ruby Storm said it would be a dream come true.
“I’m really excited and during the week the teachers announced to the students at my school that I would be competing at the Olympics so it’s been crazy,” she said.
Storm, 17, is set to take part in the 4x100m mixed relay team and is hoping to compete in some individual events after nominations.
“I’m feeling okay at the moment and I’m hoping to just stay relaxed and do well over there,” she said.
“I’m very happy that I made the team and I’m glad to have made it with my Spartans teammates.”
Storm’s teammate, Dedekind, 19, competed in the 2016 Olympic Games and said she was hoping to lend a hand to the rookies.
“I think given my age the rookies will be a lot more comfortable to come to me and I hope I can offer advice or help wherever possible,” she said.
ð¦ðº AUSTRALIAN RECORD ð¦ðº
— Swimming Australia (@SwimmingAUS) June 16, 2021
Katja Dedekind S13 has been collecting titles this week at #2021AusTrials and she's done it again ð
Posting a time of 1:07.16 in the women's 100m backstroke MC â± pic.twitter.com/GeFrZ06UuW
Dedekind, who has a vision impairment, will compete in the 100m backstroke and the 50m freestyle.
She made headlines last week at the Australian swimming trials after setting new Australian records in both events.
“Usually when you speak to someone after their race they know how well they swam and what time they produced but I didn't actually realise until my interview,” she said.
“A lot of people have said how pure and wholesome it was to see my reaction after I was told I broke the record.”
Dedekind said she had room to improve and knew her coaches would support her.
“Nathan (Doyle) said he hasn’t seen the best from me yet and I know that I still have more in the tank,” she said.
“I know I can get fitter and faster over the next couple of weeks.”