Five Tamworth City Swimmers headed to Adelaide for National Age Championships

Alex Hayes, Ella Fittler, Tilani Smith, Ameila Simm and James Ryan will swim against the best in the country in Adelaide starting this week.

It is a familiar environment for the Sharks contingent with all five competing at last year's championships.

Simm went on to final in all four of her events and again has the biggest program after qualifying for the 200m and 400m individual medley (IM), and 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Hayes will also swim the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke, Fittler the 200 breaststroke, Smith the 100m and 200m breaststroke and Ryan the 400m IM.

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The championships officially got underway on Sunday but for the Sharks contingent start on Thursday.

They headed down on Monday, along with coach Nicholas Monet, to get in a few days training with both the local outdoor pools now closed.

"We have to leave early because we don't have any more pools to train in," Monet said.

But that is nothing new for them.

"It's always a difficult period for us because the council close the pools," he said.

"We're used to it now, and we adapt."

In saying that their preparations have been a bit more disrupted than usual having to move over to the indoor pool at 360 for a week after the boiler wasn't working at Scully.

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But they have "given their best", which is, he said, all he can ask of them.

"Their mindset is good, I like the way they are focused and try to be their best," Monet continued.

"They've adapted very well."

They could face further challenges down there with the different interpretations around close contacts and isolation in South Australia. Close contacts have to isolate for 14 days rather than the seven as is the rule in NSW.

All of the swimmers recorded personal bests in at least one of their events last year, and Monet is hoping they can repeat that this year.

"I just hope they can get some personal bests," he said.

"It's always a highlight when you're able to perform at your best at this level of competition."

He said it is hard to know "how the competition is going to be" but expects it to be stronger with the Western Australian swimmers able to compete this year. Due to border restrictions they weren't able to get over last year.

360 Scully Park's Bella Pollard is also down in Adelaide and swims in the 200m butterfly on Thursday.

She takes in some good form winning the 16yrs Age Championship at the recent Christian Schools Sports Association (CSSA) championships.

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