Haileybury Waterlion freestyle dynamo Kelly Stubbins and coach Wayne Lawes rejoice in her ascension to her second national team for next year’s World Short Course Swimming Championships in Manchester. Picture: Stewart Chambers.By Marc McGowan
CHAMPION Haileybury Waterlion Kelly Stubbins is suddenly in medal contention for next year’s World Short Course Swimming Championships in Manchester after a stunning performance at the national titles last week.
Stubbins achieved a major breakthrough in making the Australian team for the first time at last year’s Commonwealth Games.
The bubbly 23-year-old then topped it further by swimming the second-fastest leg in the 4 x 200-metre relay team’s gold medal-winning performance, but her career hit a snag in December.
She missed selection for the World Long Course Swimming Championships, and all the doubts that had plagued her in previous years came flooding back.
But a brutal nine months in the pool led Stubbins to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre last week, and she exploded into action.
After a solid display in one of her minor events, the 100m backstroke, Stubbins moved onto the 100m freestyle and swam a blistering 54.04 to place fifth in the final.
Stubbins then qualified eighth for the 50m freestyle semi-finals, but forewent the later rounds to focus on her pet distance, the 200m freestyle.
In an ominous warning to her rivals, Stubbins qualified second for the 200m freestyle final, and swam arguably the event of her life.
With 50 metres to go she was still in fourth position, but rocketed home to touch in second spot in 1:55.84 in the final.
The swim obliterated Stubbins’ previous best time of 1:56.91 and moved her into sixth place in the all-time Australian rankings and seventh in the world ratings in the past 12 months.
“It was actually a really big week for me, and it was good that a lot of the nervous tension came out and that I was able to get on the team again,” she said.
“It was a really close race and I sort of had no idea (where I had come). I was just praying – it was a massive relief.”
Stubbins’ attention now turns to the Beijing Olympic Games trials at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre in March.
“This has given me a bit of confidence for (the trials) and it’s looking good for me now, but there is a lot of work from now to December,” she said.
“This is the hardest part of my preparation and I need to do it all right because if I don’t I will swim pretty average.”
Despite Stubbins’ magnificent effort in the 200m freestyle, she believes she has much more to give.
“I think I can go faster on the times I’ve been doing in training – not that I’m not happy with the time!” she said.
“The Beijing trials are my first main goal, but coming into Manchester I’ll be focusing on getting myself under the 1:55.0 mark in the 200m (freestyle) and under 53 in the 100m (freestyle).”
Waterlions head coach Wayne Lawes, who was selected on the national coaching staff for the World Short Course Swimming Championships, also envisions further improvement for Stubbins.
“I just think now for her this could be really opening the door for her to let herself unleash because confidence is an amazing thing,” Lawes said.
“I knew she could do it and it’s just absolutely fantastic and it was such a close race.
“It just gives her the confidence and reassurance to follow her dreams and goals.”
