Revesby Workers Swimming Club: Kai Robertson, Rafaela Kopellou, Jaxson Smith celebrate success
A humble swim club in Sydney’s southwest has taken home a bumper medal haul at national championship events. Meet the teenage swimmers leading the way.
The Express
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A new generation of talented swimmers are shining at the Revesby Workers Swim Club, taking home medals and qualifying for international competitions.
Between the Australian Open Water and Age Championships this year, members of the club won more than 10 medals.
And, from the 11-person open team set to represent Australia at the World Junior Open Water Championships in Seychelles later this year, three are from Revesby Workers Swim Club including 16-year old Kai Robertson and swim coach Alex Clarke.
At the Australian Open Water Championships, Robertson swam a tough race in the 7.5km event to take away the national title in his age bracket before backing it up the next day with another national title in the 5km event.
“It was just amazing,” Robertson said. “I was lost for words for a bit.”
But it’s hard work to get there. Robertson trains seven days a week in the pool, along with two or three additional gym sessions.
The 16-year-old also competes in surf lifesaving competitions and prefers the open water events, where wind and choppy conditions come into play, over pool swimming.
“I enjoy that because it makes it a bit harder for everyone, everyone is even,” Robertson said.
But he isn’t the only strong swimmer coming through the swim club.
Revesby Workers Swimming Club had 18 athletes compete in the Australian Age Swimming Championships in mid April which was held at the SA Aquatic Centre in Adelaide.
Rafaela Kopellou took home the silver medal in the 14-years 200m butterfly and bronze in the 400m butterfly. She placed fifth in the 100m butterfly and eighth in the 400m freestyle.
Jaxson Smith won the silver medal in the 14 years 50m butterfly and fifth in 100m butterfly.
At the same time, the club had Lachlan Hanratty compete in the Australian age multi-class competition where he took home five medals.
The medals included gold in the 17-18 boys 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke and 200m freestyle, along with bronze in the 100m freestyle and the 50m backstroke.
It’s a family-orientated club, according to race secretary Gail Cauchi, who has been a member of Revesby Workers Swim Club since 1968.
“We’ve had a lot of success in the past six years since we’ve had a new coaching business at the school,” Ms Cauchi said.
“Since they’ve been around they’ve taken the club to bigger and better places with all the training and coaching they have done.”
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