Sloman & Gubecka Head Up Aussie Open Water Roster For Fukuoka

The 8-strong Australian Open Water roster for this summer’s World Championships has just been announced.

Kyle Lee, Nick Sloman and Jack Wilson make up the men’s side of the roster while Bailey Armstrong, Bianca Crisp, Maddy Gough, Chelsea Gubecka and Moesha Johnson will represent the women. Of the group, Crisp and Wilson will make their Australian Dolphins debut.

According to the Swimming Australia selection policy for Fukuoka, athletes were selected based on performances at January’s Australian 10k Championships as well as last month’s LEN 10k series race in Eilat, Israel. The first- and second-ranked male and female athletes who scored the most points based on the combined scoring of both the Championships and the LEN Cup race were considered for Fukuoka selection.

Sloman and Gubecka captured the 10,000 national titles in Busselton Jetty, while Sloman was also the highest finishing 10,000 men in Eilat (6th). Lee took 8th place in that LEN race while Gubecka and Gough took the gold and silver.

As a reminder, this year’s Open Water World Championships hold added significance for those athletes competing in the 10km event, with a podium finish in Fukuoka doubling as automatic qualification for next year’s Paris Olympics.

Swimming Australia’s High Performance Director, Tamara Sheppard, said of the swimmers’ selection: “We are delighted for these athletes as selection in this World Championship team not only caps off months of hard work in training, but also recognizes their ability to perform over two to execute. competitive racing events,” Sheppard said.

“The depth in our Open Water program is getting stronger and that drives long-term competitive advantages as these athletes continue to push each other not just for a spot on this team, but spots on international podiums.”

“These World Championships will be a fantastic platform to continue to demonstrate their international ability and serve as the first opportunity for an Olympic qualification spot.”

Australian Dolphins 2023 Open Water World Championships Team
Bailey Armstrong (USC Spartans) – 10k
Bianca Crisp (Yeronga Park) – 5k
Maddy Gough (Carlisle) – 10k
Chelsea Gubecka (Yeronga Park) – 10k
Moesha Johnson (Griffith University) – 5k
Kyle Lee (North Shore) – 5k
Nick Sloman (Noosa) – 10k
Jack Wilson (North Coast) – 5k

Head Coach – Mel Tantrum
Team Coaches – Chris Nesbit (Carlile) and Ian Mills (North Coast)