Rising Queensland swimmers including Ella Ramsay and Samuel Short in elite Flippers squad

Ella Ramsay, Samuel Short and a Nudgee swim club trio are among 18 Queensland rookies recognised by Swimming Australia with selection in the elite Flippers development squad.

Queensland’s next generation of elite young swimmers has been identified by Swimming Australia following the naming of the national Flippers squad.

St Peters Western’s Ella Ramsay and Centenary Rackley’s Samuel Short head a powerful Queensland contingent who will be part of the 38 strong squad to attend the camp, January 3-9.

Olympic gold medallist Duncan Armstrong OAM and Olympian Meagen Nay said squad members would be given “valuable information regarding technical, tactical, physical, psychological and wellbeing skills’’.

Nudgee Swimming Club coach Michaela Pattinson and swimmer Tiana Kritzinger after she shone on debut for Queensland last October

Queenslanders recognised in the squad were: Bailey Day, Tiana Kritzinger, Lucinda Macleod, Georgia Pendergast, Jamie Perkins, Csongor Cellie, Charles Cox, Thomas Hauck, Thomas Raymond, Samuel Short, Tahlia Thornton, Ella Goddard, Ella Ramsay, Jade Starr, Rebecca Jacobson, Georgia Powell, Lucas Humeniuk, Kyle Niesler.

QueenslandOlympic Games’ young gun contenders like Elizabeth Dekkers, Mollie O’Callaghan, Tom Neill and Jenna Forrester, among others, were not considered for the Flippers.

Mollie O'Callaghan and Tahlia Thornton at the QGSSSA swim meet.

Ramsay, a year 10 student at St Peters Lutheran College Springfield, was coming off a swag of medals at last weekend’s Queensland short course championships.

Her achievements included four gold medals and six PB efforts.

Short, who shone at both the Brisbane and Queensland short course championships over the last three weeks, said he was “excited to be attending the camp’’

“His aim is to make the Australian junior World championship team for 2021. He will compete at the Olympic trials in June 2021 in Adelaide,’’ said his mother Nicole.

Samuel Short has been recognised. J&A Photography

Nudgee College swimming coach David Proud was delighted to see three of his swimmers, Thomas Raymond, Jade Starr and Tiana Kritzinger, recognised with Flippers selection.

“This will allow them to gain access to extra support as they continue to refine their swimming in the lead up to the next four year cycle,’’ Proud said.

At the short course state championships, Kritzinger won five golds in the girls 15 years 400m, 800m, 1500m, 200m free and 400m IM.

“Her time of 15:58.30 was a new Australian record for 15 years and puts her ninth fastest on the Australian all time open list,’’ Proud said.

Nudgee's Thomas Raymond was a winner at the GPS swimming championship earlier in the year.

The Flippers Program has a history of success, having had 32 athletes successfully make the transition to the Australia Dolphins Swim team since 2014, including Ariarne Titmus, Jack Cartwright, Zac Stubblety-Cook, Bradley Woodward, Jess Hansen, Kaylee McKeown and Elijah Winnington.

Originally published as Rising Queensland swimmers including Ella Ramsay and Samuel Short in elite Flippers squad