World test for talent pool

Griffith well represented in Australian teams

GWANGJU, South Korea, will today be taken over by a contingent of Griffith University athletes poised for success at the 18th FINA World Championships.

Twelve student athletes, including swimming stars Emma McKeon and Cameron McEvoy, will today take to the pool for Australia at the championships under the guidance of Griffith Sports College manager Naomi McCarthy who likened the event to the pinnacle of world sport.

“The world aquatic championships is second only to the Olympics for all of our athletes so it’s a major benchmark event held every two years and we’ve got a lot of athletes competing there which is great,” she said.

“We’ve got athletes representing in all of the disciplines, being swimming, diving, synchro and water polo so it’s a multi-sport event. Griffith has got a lot of athletes competing and it’ll be a great couple of weeks for us.”

The introduction of new sports will add extra intrigue to this year’s championships, with Griffith Bachelor of Counselling student Bridget Leeson-Smith being selected for the beach polo team.

“Sports are mixing things up, making it faster and sharper,” McCarthy said. “Beach polo is a modified version of water polo with fewer people, smaller fields, and it’s more dynamic.

“It’s great to see that one of our student athletes made that team.

“There have been a few new events thrown into world championships this year like some mixed relays in swimming, there’s some high diving and beach polo has gone in for the water polo.”

Unfortunately for spectators back home, the championships won’t be broadcast on free to air television this year and will instead be available via subscriber log-in.

“I’m really surprised about that,” McCarthy said.

“It is usually is televised.” The event runs until July 28.