Yang Finds That Special Will To Win As SOPAC Freestyler Dares To Dream
Sydney Olympic Swim Club’s Will Yang has returned to racing with a new found love of the sport after coming back from two major setbacks that may well have stopped other swimmers in their tracks.
But not our Will, who notched a confidence boosting win over Olympic and world champion Kyle Chalmers(Marion, SA) in the 100m freestyle final on an exciting opening night of the 2024 NSW State Championships at SOPAC to keep his Paris Olympic dream alive.
A night that saw Australia’s backstroking queen Kaylee McKeown (Griffith University, QLD) clock the ninth fastest time in history with her 2:04.21 to win the 200m backstroke and her fellow 2023 world champion Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) win the 100m freestyle in an impressive 52.82.
While 15-year-old NSW rising star Sienna Toohey from Albury (Coach Wayne Gould) continued her rise up the breaststroke ranks – lowering her own personal best time in the 100m breaststroke to 1:07.97 - after her pb heat swim of 1:08.36 in the morning.
An impressive silver medal swim only just behind Tokyo Olympian Jenna Strauch (Miami, QLD) 1:07.83, showing she wasn’t afraid to mix it with some of Australia’s best.
For the Adam Kable coached Commonwealth Games relay gold medallist Yang it was a satisfying return – especially in his home pool, after admitting he struggled to walk last year, clocking 48.48 to add the NSW title to his Victorian State Championship from last month.
The 25-year-old had a benign tumour removed from his spine and then suffered a STRAP Tear in his shoulder after returning to training and has only been back in the pool seriously since January.
Chalmers (Marion, SA), who was out quickest in 23.48 to Yang’s 23.52, finished second in 48.53, with his German training partner Josha Salchow third in 48.79.
“I haven’t been racing for about a year and only recently got back into training,” said Yang.
“I had back surgery and then tore my shoulder and only started training in January.
“I had a tumour on my spinal canal, and it was on the nerve, and it got that bad that I couldn’t really walk so I had to get the surgery done and I was so glad I did.
“I got lucky too with less than 10 days between the diagnosis and the surgery because it was an urgent case, and everything was going really well with the recovery.
“But with four to five months without exercise and getting back into my routine my shoulder couldn’t take the load and then I suffered a SLAP Tear (Separation of the cartilage from the bone inside the shoulder) in November.
“But once again I was lucky it healed itself.”
Yang admits he has a long way to go before he can consider himself a chance of going to Paris.
“From my perspective things have changed a lot after what I went through last year and at the moment, I’m just happy to be healthy and enjoying the sport,” said Yang.
“With my fitness I’m pretty much back to where I was and (regarding the Olympic Trials in June) I have some time, but there’s a long way to go.
“I am proud that I would not have let the surgery or any setbacks to frame who I am or my career, I think I’m tougher mentally than that….”
Meanwhile in the women’s 100m freestyle final it was two-time World Champion O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) who touched first in 52.82, clocking her fastest time of the season and her fastest time since defending her world title in Fukuoka last year.
Second home and proving she will be keeping the pressure on the young guns was 2013 World Champion, 29-year-old Bronte Campbell (Cruiz, ACT) in 53.50 with Olympic champion Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD), the fastest qualifier in the morning in 53.46, third home in 53.70.
While McKeown, the 22-year-old Olympic and two-time World Champion and world record holder always finds something extra, despite the heavy load of a week-long training camp in Cairns under coach Michael Bohl.
And that’s just what she did in the most impressive four laps of the opening night’s action at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
It comes just a week after Smith’s 2:03.99 to take the TYR Pro Series in Westmont – also the fourth fastest time of her career.
Here is a look at the Top 11 All-Time
1. Kaylee McKeown (2:03.14 WR)
2. Regan Smith (2:03.35)
3. Regan Smith (2:03.69)
4. Kaylee McKeown (2:03.70)
5. Regan Smith (2:03.80)
6. Kaylee McKeown (2:03.85)
7. Regan Smith (2:03.99)
8. Missy Franklin (2:04.06)
9. Kaylee McKeown (2:04.21)
10. Regan Smith (2:04.27)
11. Kaylee McKeown (2:04.28)
Kaylee McKeown Photo Credit: Emma Newton
NSW States Day One
2024 NSW State Swimming Championships, Day 1, FINALS:
WOMEN
100m freestyle
1. Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) 52.82
2. Bronte Campbell (Cruiz, ACT) 53.50
3. Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD) 53.70
200m freestyle Multi-Class
1. Madeleine McTernan S14 (Shark Aquatics, QLD) 2:14.32
2. Ruby Storm S14 (St Andrews, QLD) 2:15.69
3. Chloe Osborn S7 (ACU Blacktown, NSW)2:37.21
800m freestyle
1. Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD) 8:17.87
2. Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) 8:19.23
3. Amelia Weber (St Peters Western, QLD) 8:45.16
200m backstroke
1. Kaylee McKeown (Griffith University, QLD) 2:04.21
2. Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar, NSW) 2:11.73
3. Minna Atherton (Bond, QLD) 2:11.91
50m butterfly
1. Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD) 25.97
2. Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD) 25.99
3. Madeline Groves (Commercial, QLD) 26.13
100m butterfly Multi-Class
1. Taylor Corry S14 (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins, NSW) 1:09.55
2. Jasmine Greenwood S10 (Cruiz, ACT) 1:09.09
3. Ruby Storm S14 (St Andrews, QLD) 1:10.60
100m breaststroke
1. Jenna Strauch (Miami, QLD) 1:07.83
2. Sienna Toohey (Albury Amateur, NSW) 1:09.97
3. Matilda Smith (Miami, QLD) 1:08.45
400m individual medley
1. Isabella Krantzcke (SOPAC Swim Team) 4:56.28
2. Talika Irvine (West Illawarra Aquatic, NSW) 5:0143
3. Indianna Cameron (St Peters Western, QLD) 5:02.52
MEN
100m freestyle
1. Will Yang (SOPAC Swim Team) 48.48
2. Kyle Chalmers (Marion, SA) 48.53
3. Josha Salchow (Marion, SA) 48.79
200m freestyle Multi-Class
1. Darren Sisman S14 (Engadine, NSW) 1:58.69
2. Declan Budd S14 (Knox Pymble, NSW) 1:58.92
3. Alexander Tuckfield S10(Southern Sydney Swim Team, NSW) 1:59.16
400m freestyle
1. Ben Goedemans (St Peters Western, QLD) 3:50.94
2. Matthew Galea (SOPAC Swim Team, NSW) 3:51.15
3. James Koch (Miami, QLD) 3:51.59
50m backstroke
1. Ben Armbruster (Bond, QLD) 25.40
2. Lewis Blackburn (St Andrews, QLD) 25.57
3. Fergus McLachlan (Bond, QLD) 26.06
50m breaststroke
1. Joshua Collett (Bond, QLD) 27.86
2. Grayson Bell (Somerset, QLD) 28.06
3. Haig Buckingham (SOPAC Swim Club) 28.08
100m butterfly Multi-Class
1. Alex Saffy S10 (Bunbury, WA) 59.13
2. Declan Budd S14 (Knox Pymble, NSW) 59.26
3. Col Pearse (Nunawading, VIC) 59.52
200m butterfly
1. Bowen Gough (Griffith University, QLD) 1:57.46
2. William Petric (Nunawading, VIC) 1:58.45
3. Joshua Moore (USC Spartans, QLD) 2:03.30
