Cameron McEvoy leads this week’s Gold Coast Bulletin sport Ball and All column

IT’S the 25m pool that launched Cameron McEvoy’s swimming career and the Australian sprinter has returned in a bid to help unearth the next star.

SWIMMING

IT’S the 25m pool that launched Cameron McEvoy’s swimming career and the Australian sprinter has returned in a bid to help unearth the next star.

McEvoy has travelled the world to take on the best swimmers but he hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

The 25-year-old Emmanuel College graduate returned to the school on Friday alongside Gold Coast-based Thomas Fraser-Holmes to run a junior clinic for swimmers hoping to follow in their footsteps.

“It’s awesome to come back to the school to do this clinic at my old school,” McEvoy said.

“I was here from preschool to Year 12 and I couldn’t put into words the amount of support I got that allowed me to do my academics and my swimming.

Australian swimmer Cam McEvoy with Emmanuel Collage students Ethan Babic and Cooper Leary. Picture: Richard Gosling

“Being able to give back to the kids here, at such a great location, is perfect.”

McEvoy and Holmes spoke to a group of more than 30 junior swimmers before taking them through drills and lessons in the pool.

McEvoy has become one of the top sprinters in the globe, rising to prominence for his performances in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.

He competed at the Glasgow and Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Rio Olympics and has also featured in two world championships.

“The main goal for 2019 will be the world championships in South Korea in July,” McEvoy said.

“A higher tier goal to that is having Tokyo in mind and approaching the world championships with the goal of wanting to swim as fast as I can but also wanting it to give us the best set up for the following year leading into Tokyo.”

MOTORSPORT

SERIOUSLY, how tough is Toby Price?

The Gold Coast 31-year-old is celebrating his second Dakar Rally motorcycle title and he did it all after breaking his wrist weeks before one of the most arduous races on the planet.

Sporting his famous mullet, Price has given some of the Coast’s other famous athletes some serious lessons about toughness.

Toby Price of Australia from the KTM Factory Racing Team No. 3 Motorbike celebrates victory and his 1st palce on the podium after Stage Ten and the finish of the 2019 Dakar Rally at Magdalena Beach or Playa on January 17, 2019 in Lima, Peru. Picture: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images.

GOLF

GOLD Coast golf legend Wayne Grady will host a charity game to raise funds needed to get Chad Johnson to the Special Olympics.

The event will be held at Emerald Lakes Golf Club on February 15, with all funds raised going to Johnson and other Australian golfers competing in the Special Olympics from March 8-21 in Abu Dhabi.

For more, email [e-mail]

RU GBY LEAGUE

YOU won’t find too many players who look forward to an NRL pre-season but it’s been a different story for Titans winger Anthony Don.

“I didn’t really participate much in pre-season (for 2018) because I had shoulder surgery that got infected, so for me it’s good to be out on the park and in the gym working hard, which is something I didn’t get to do last year,” the 31-year-old (pictured) said.

Anthony Don of the Titans looks on during the round ten NRL match between the Melbourne Storm and the Gold Coast Titans at Suncorp Stadium on May 12, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images.

CRICKET

GOLD Coast Veterans Cricket Club is on the lookout for players.

The club currently has three teams - over-70s division 1 and over-60s division 1 and division 2 - entered in Queensland Veterans Cricket competitions and is looking to add another over-60s division 2 side.

Member Chris Nahrung said Queensland Cricket asked the club to expand and add an extra team.

Gold Coast Veterans Cricket Club players Gary Northern, John Guiver, Mal Purcell and Clay Heinz.

The veteran season runs all-year round, with approximately 12 matches.

Nahrung said the current over-60s team has done well in competition.

“We just missed out on finals last year, but we hold our own,” he said.

For more, contact Chris Nahrung on 0401 449 449.

SURF LIFE SAVING

THERE is no doubting ironman Shannon Eckstein’s champion status in and out of the surf.

There he was at Northcliffe club on Monday for the announcement of the Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic, an event which pump much-needed cash into the sport.

Two days later the surf lifesaving great was in Tasmania holding coaching clinics for juniors.

Australian Iron Man legend Shannon Eckstein conducts junior training at Carlton Beach Surf Life Saving Club Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK