Our Nationals Experience by Corey McIntosh & Kim Valas

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OUR NATIONALS EXPERIENCE

Sydney Australian Age Championships 2006.

By: Corey McIntosh and Kim Valas

Days 1 – 3 written by Corey McIntosh

DAY 1

The flight over was quite enjoyable and seemed somewhat painless, besides that fact I had to sit next to Kimbo. We both managed to jag two exit sets next to each other due to one passenger who didn’t rock up, so we where rather pleased about that! The in-flight movie was fun with Dick and Jane, was rather funny and better than expected. The rest of the flight consisted of playing card, watching videos on my ipod and chat with Meph!

We arrived in Sydney around about lunchtime and headed down towards the baggage collection, with me having trouble finding my bag because I didn’t know what it looked like! Everybody else left me there while they went and sorted out the car hire. I finally got my bag which I found out was one of the first bags out and then headed out to find the rest of the crew, which I might add to my trouble at the time where quite hard to find.

We found our hotel with the great mapping skills shown by Greg, to make up for Dion’s lack of driving ones. We all seemed to be quite pleased with our hotel arrangements and location, which was across the road from the time-zone and a massive Westfield shopping center.

After having our lunch and doing some of our all-important shopping for the week, we just chilled around and then headed into the pool for a light swim and skills session, to help get us ready for what was ahead.

When we got back to the apartments we thought we would check out the spa and sauna, so that is exactly what we did. Follow by some TV, tea and bed.

DAY 2

The day before major competition, always a bit of a testing one, with your emotions high and your blood pumping ready to go. With your mind set on one thing, achieving your goals.

We all headed into the pool because we thought that a early morning swim would be a wise move to get over body clocks ready for the heats for the next morning. With some of us, namely myself feeling like crap in the water which is sometimes a good sign or sometimes bad.

After our swim kimbo, Greg and I all went into the shopping center, to have a look at what it had to offer. With us buying a few bits and peaces and some lunch along the way.

In the evening the group headed into the time-zone for a bit of fun and relaxation to take the edge off things. Tagging along Was the Mandurah coach and stew. I must say that this was one of my highlights of the trip, and I speak for all by saying it was most enjoyed.

Our night was once again ended with a spa and sauna, to help loosen up our muscles.

DAY 3

The day has come, the one to see if all our work has paid off! With myself kicking things off with event 16 the 100 meters backstroke with myself qualifying third, behind Bobby and Arnamnart. Then Belinda who competed in the girls 13 followed me with the 13 and under 100 free, with a time of 1:02:48 only .10 out side her PB, which placed her 29^th.

It was now time to get all the boys of and going in the 4*100 meter freestyle relay. With the order being Kim, Daniel, Greg and myself. We all tried our best and managed to scrape into the final 10^th, with an over all time of 3.41.62. But were all determined to do better in the finals.

All being glade the first session on competition was our, we head back to the accommodation with goals set in everyone’s minds. We followed that up with lunch and another look around the shops for some of us.

Back to the pool we head after our food and rest. I was quite keen to medal in my 100 back, see that I have medalled in all 3 nationals I have attended. I ended up 3^rd missing out on 2^nd by .16 but all the same happy with my time of 57.67.

Once again it was time for all the Western Sprint boys to show everyone what we are made of and we did that by improving on our time by 2 seconds and coming 9^th over all with a time of 3:39:78, only 2 seconds outside a medal. As a whole we felt a lot better with that swim than in the heats, because we all felt we did everything we could.

Back to the apartments came some tired boys, but somewhat happy of what they had achieved in the first day of competition. We watched a movie and head off to bed.

Days 4 – 8 written by Kim Valas

DAY 4

Thursday today! The second day of competition, but we all had a day of rest, well except for Corey who would have to go in at night for a state relay final. Therefore we all decided to sleep in and have a late breakfast, or you might want to call it Brunch.

Today was a perfect opportunity to walk around the shopping centre and browse. Daniel, Corey and myself set off for adventure in the huge shopping complex next door. Not long after we set out Corey and Myself lost Daniel in the 6 floors of shopper’s heaven! We finally returned back to our apartment in the early afternoon, with enough time for Corey to rest up for his relay tonight.

In Walks Greg, who had just come back from an expensive hair dressers appointment which was about 6 months overdue. Everyone was shocked, Dion didn’t even recognise him.

Off to the 200 metre State relay Corey and Dion went, but a trip to Sydney wouldn’t be a trip if Dion wouldn’t damage the car in some way. The fairly new rental Toyota Tarago had seen its last trip with Dion at the wheels, for he ran into the back of another vehicle. My job was then to find Jamie across the hall and get him to organise another Tarago for the next day. The Crash didn’t put Corey of his swim though, he swam a solid time of 24.38 in the first leg of the 4 by 50metre freestyle relay which they finished in 3^rd place. Corey got back at around 11pm were everyone was already asleep freshening up for the big day of competition tomorrow.    

DAY 5

Everyone is pumped, today is the day most of us show what we are made of. Belinda, Daniel, Greg, Corey and myself all had swims today. The program consisted of Belinda with the 50m freestyle, Daniel in the 50m freestyle, Corey in the 100m Butterfly and 200m I.M., myself swimming in the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Also Greg joined Corey, Daniel and myself in 400 I.M. relay in which he swam the breaststroke leg.

We all were a bit nervous in our swims today, I didn’t perform to standard that I wished. I failed to swim a PB in either of my events, 24.86 for the 50freestyle and 59.55 for 100m butterfly.  Corey swam a great time of 58.65 in his 100m butterfly and 2.14.43 in his 200m I.M. Daniel swam a decent time of 24.72 in his 50m freestyle but was unhappy even so. Belinda swam her 50m freestyle in 28.60 not far away from qualifying for the final. Our 400 I.M. relay swam a good race with Corey leading off in the backstroke, Greg swimming 2^nd in the breaststroke very strongly with a split which converted into a 6 second PB. I swam 3^rd leg in the relay doing the butterfly and Daniel brought us home with the freestyle. Even though we all swam good, we missed out on a place in the finals finishing in 13^th in a time of 4.15.76, the boys weren’t to disappointed. 

For Belinda, Greg and myself our 2006 national age championships were now over having swum all of our events. Now it was up to Daniel and Corey to continue on over the next few days. Corey was to head back into the Olympic park tonight to compete in the final of the 200 I.M. in which he came 6^th and swam a time of 2.12.34.

Today was a busy day, and we all were exhausted and hit the sack fairly early. Before we went to bed Daniel, Greg and Myself went to have spa and sauna to melt away the days stress. Soap and Detergent became our new best friend as we experimented with the effects it has in a warm bubbly spa. Daniel was the first to bed like always getting ready for his 100m freestyle the next day. The others stayed up a little while longer enjoying the entertainment of Friday night T.V.

DAY 6

While Greg, myself and Belinda had nothing to do anymore they decided to sleep in while I came alone with Corey and Daniel to watch and support them in there events. Daniel swam his 100m freestyle in a good time of 54.66 finishing in 31^st place. Corey also had 100m freestyle and qualified 8^th fastest for the final in a time of 53.35.

After the morning heats we headed over to a hotel were Engine swim wear had set up a show room of clothes and swimming gear. We all ended up buying a few t-shirts and swimming caps, which we though was a good deal. Corey and I both got a red swimming cap with flames, which Corey still owes me $10 for the purchase. When we got back to the apartment we found Greg by himself playing his guitar and we convinced him we that all the engine gear we had bought early, we received for free. Greg was really upset that he didn’t come until we told him the truth later that day.

During out break Corey and I went over to the Shopping centre so he could find and buy some black Converse shoes he was going on and on about all trip. He found some he liked bought them and then we got out of there so that Corey could rest up for his big 100 freestyle final later on at night.

Corey was the only one to have final swims, and tonight his 100 freestyle hoped to be entertaining spectacle. Corey wore his new flaming red engine cap which he thought would make him faster or put others off. Corey swam 52.99 which was a PB and placed him 8^th.

Back at the apartment Wagin coach, Stewy passed out from an early night full of drinking. The Mandurah girls along with Belinda decorated his face with make up, painted his nails blue and sent him down to hotel reception with his feminine side showing. Workers were surprise and horrified, they never looked at him the same way again for the rest of the trip. Bed was the next destination for all of us, getting ready for the last day of competition.

DAY 7

The last day of competition and only one competitor for Western Sprint swimming club left, Corey! 50m freestyle for the young 16yr old and then the 2006 Australian Age Championships would be finished for the whole club. The heat swim saw Corey qualify for the final in 5^th place in a time of 24.46.

Lunch and a lot of rest was on the agenda for Corey today between his heat and final swim tonight. The 50m freestyle was the event he was looking forward to all week. Off to the pool everyone went for the last time this trip to watch the final of the boys 16yrs 50m freestyle. I had leant Corey my special Fastskin pants which he bugged me for. He was sure to swim fast now, whilst wear my pants. Corey ended up 6^th in the final with a time of 24.34, not a PB but a great effort for a week full of racing.

Swimming was over, and now was time to have fun. Even though the entire trip was fun, now the pressure was off. No more racing! We started the evening with a Pizza from an Asian pizzeria which cost everyone a lot of money which most of us through up anyway. Greg was our entertainment for the night singing songs and playing his guitar as we all laughed with him but mostly at him. Hours later we headed out to the city centre and had a great time. We all returned back to the apartment at various hours of the morning, all with very different stories to tell.

DAY 8

As some of us were still coming home others, such as Dion were heading out to the open water swimming championships. Our job this morning was to clean up the huge mess we had made over the last 7days and pack our stuff up by 11am. For many it was a big struggle to help out, not naming anyone…. “GREG!” We all managed to clear up and bail before 11.Since our flight was later afternoon we spent the rest of the time in the shopping centre next door having lunch and recovering before the long flight home. Dion met up with us from the Open water swimming and off we went to the airport. We returned out hire car, checked in and boarded the plane.