Tamworth Sharks swarm Country Championships in record numbers

Last year's team comprised of 19 swimmers, and to the best of coach Nicolas Monet's knowledge the 2022 benchmark is the most the club has ever sent.

"The club is growing and the level of performance is growing, so we have more numbers," Monet said.

"We have as many relay swimmers but more individuals."

The championships are scheduled to begin this Friday, February 18, and will run until Sunday, February 20, at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

Although a haul of medals is the dream for any swimmer, whether they compete at a local or international level, Monet said the Sharks were instead focused on producing their best performances and letting the results fall where they may.

"Our swimmers have potential for medals, but we're not looking for medals because we cant control what competitors do," he said. "It's about doing what you can control.

"The swimmers are just going to try their best, that's all we can ask and that's what they're good at.

"But medals are never really a goal. If it happens, it happens, we just have to do our best and it's important that we go as team."

That aspect of teamwork is both crucial and underrated in swimming, Monet said. On its face, it is an individual sport, but in practice teammates play important roles in pushing one another to improve.

"It's an individual sport, but it isn't really," he said. "Even if you're alone in your lane, it's a team game because in training you're together with boys and girls of different age groups."

After a disrupted winter season due to COVID-19 restrictions, training has resumed a semblance of regularity in summer and most of the swimmers are feeling prepared for the championships - although Monet did add that some of the younger athletes are a bit nervous about competing on the big stage.

"There are different feelings, there are some swimmers its the first time individually and there are some who are swimming for the first time in the relay, so it's a stepping stone in their careers," he said.

"[But] the older swimmers will take care of the younger swimmers. It's very nice, it relieves the individual pressure a little bit."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: