A lot has changed for Connor Roberts in 12 months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Disappointed, after swimming, in his words "terribly", at last year's Australian Age Championships, the Tamworth City star will return from this year's titles in Adelaide with at least two medals after winning bronze in the 17-years 200m individual medley on Thursday night.
It was his second bronze of the championships after finishing third in the 200m breaststroke the previous night.
Coach Nicholas Monet said it was a great swim from his charge in the IM in what was "a very fast field".
"He did a huge pb (personal best)," he said.
Roberts slashed two seconds off his time having swum "a small pb" in his heat in the morning.
"His breaststroke leg was fantastic," Monet said.
Following on from the night before he had the fastest breaststroke split of the field (35 seconds flat) and, Monet said, swum faster than his splits for the 200m.
He then backed up to swum the breaststroke leg for the 14-17-years 4x100m medley relay team, which was for Monet a real highlight.
"The relay was fantastic. To see those boys on the screen waving," he said.
It's the first time the club has qualified a relay team to compete.
The team of Roberts, Patrick Bolte (butterfly), Edward George (backstroke) and Brinez Lantz (freestyle) were "very competitive in their heat" and cut almost two seconds off their entry time to finish a very credible 25th overall.
"I'm a very happy coach," Monet said.
Roberts will have the chance to add to his haul when he contests the final of the 200m backstroke on Friday night. Alex Hayes, who won bronze in the 13-years girls 200m on the opening night of the championships, will also swim the final of the 100m.
