Australian national swimming championships: Persistence pays off for Rio-bound Josh Beaver

THE biggest smiles at this week’s swimming trials have belonged to those who four years ago feared the dream might be over. None more so than Josh Beaver.

THE biggest smiles at this week’s national swimming championships have belonged to those who four years ago feared the dream might be over.

Like breaststroker Jake Packard who didn’t even make a semi-final of the selection trials in 2012, got a job working in a warehouse but never stopped training and is now off to Rio.

And Kotuku Ngawati who was denied at these trials in 2012 then vowed “no, I’m not waiting four years again” and booked her ticket to Rio in the 200m IM this week.

Then came Grant Irvine who also missed out in 2012 but snuck in by the skin of his teeth — just 0.02 of a second — in the 200m butterfly on Monday.

And then there was Josh Beaver. The pint-sized backstroker with a giant smile who like many others was cruelly denied a spot at the London Olympics by just 0.2 of a second but never gave up.

He made it to the Commonwealth Games in 2014 where he won a bronze and silver medal and then last year made the team for the world championships.

On Tuesday night in Adelaide came the biggest breakthrough of all when he became an Olympian.

Beaver, 23, had to go under 1 min 57.12 secs to make it to Rio in the 200m backstroke — and he smashed it.

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While dual world champion Mitch Larkin cruised home in 1:53.9, Beaver made sure he would join him on the blocks at the Games by swimming 1:56.1.

Still as comfortable as he looked, the first words that came out of his mouth formed part of an oft-used phrase at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre this week.

“I can’t believe it,” he said.

“First of all I really want to thank a few people who today I wouldn’t be here without. Especially Dan my sports psych, family and friends, Rohan (Taylor) my coach, I can’t explain how great it feels to have those guys riding me the whole way.

“They said ‘go out there and do it for yourself’ but I couldn’t help doing it for them, it means the absolute world to me their support.

“Obviously missing out on the team for London by 0.2, being touched out by a teammate I had to go back and reassess and learn, and I’m absolutely grateful to be back swimming fast again and then back in a good headspace and a good mindset moving through to Rio now.”

Beaver was hopeful, but not confident of making the team in the 100m backstroke earlier in the week and while he made the top-two finish he didn’t make the qualifying time.

But he wasn’t to be denied in the 200m on Tuesday night.

“To be honest I was just really excited about the 200m and I haven’t been excited to race it in quite a while now, to miss the 100 I knew the time alone was a bit difficult to get,” Beaver said.

“I knew I’d have to drop a considerable margin (on my PB) and I’d done a lot of training for the 200m and I’m really glad I could put together a good race — but I couldn’t even recount what happened, it was just unbelievable.

“I’m absolutely stoked with that.”

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Originally published as Australian national swimming championships: Persistence pays off for Rio-bound Josh Beaver