WA Life Savers ready to prove themselves at National Championships

21 athletes from across Perth are travelling to Sydney tomorrow to compete in the 2019 Australian Pool Life Saving Championships, forming WA’s largest state team in recent years.

The Australian Pool Life Saving Championships, hosted in a different state each year, return to New South Wales for 2019 to commemorate Royal Life Saving Society’s 125th anniversary in Australia.

The competition has been conducted in various forms since 1965, with the annual tournament now consisting of 3 days of Pool Lifesaving events combining an Under 14 and Senior (Under 16, Under 19, Open and Masters) Competition.

Competitors can earn themselves a place in the ‘Aussie Barras’, Australia's National Pool Lifesaving team, to attend a team training camp and various international competitions throughout the year.

WA’s representatives secured their places in the state team after taking part in a series of Development Sessions during September and October 2018, before competing in the State Trials in November. 

The athletes will compete in this week’s National Championships, from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th January, under the guidance of WA State Coach Andrew Ridley, a qualified pool lifesaving coach and accomplished Surf Life Saving coach, mentor and assessor.

Andrew has coached surf and pool lifesaving for over 15 years and has overseen the development of athletes from junior to national team level.

The 14 athletes who secured a place in the WA team this year are;

Alicia Anderson
Phoebe Ashworth
Zach Brown
TJ Chong Sue
Maddison Howe
Harrison Hynes
Lachlan Meldrum
Adam Moore
Lily Moore
Chalise Pratt
Kelton Rothnie
Jake Smith
Dayna Tindall
Josh Windsor

Additionally, seven athletes are attending the Championships as part of WA’s Masters and Development Squads - they are;

Imogen Ashworth
Toby Beck
Jasmine Maung
Felicity Metcalfe
Andrew Moulin
Meesha Rothnie
Finn Van de Nadort

We wish all members of our WA team the best as they prepare for the National Championships later this week!

WA's State Pool Life Saving team is supported by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.