By JARROD POTTER
HAILEYBURY Waterlions swimmer Brandon Roode fought off thoughts of thowing in the towel to secure a place as one of the best junior swimmers in Victoria.
The Waterways swimmer,16, who emigrated from South Africa with his family four years ago, has relished the change to life in Australia – ramping up his competitive swimming after almost giving the sport away.
“There were small competitions and I didn’t take them very seriously, and I quit for six months two years ago,” Roode said.
“My dad and Wayne (Lawes, coach) had a really long talk to me about potential and to give it a go for one more season.
“I thought I’d give it one more go, and at the past long course nationals I got my first final and came ninth in the 200m individual medley and then they said to keep going as I was getting better.”
That proof came in a state-level victory at the Swimming Victoria State Short Course Championships, where he won the boys 16-year-old 100m short course freestyle in 51.50 seconds.
He also medalled in the under-16 boys 50m freestyle, winning silver, and in the 200m freestyle with a bronze medal.
Roode’s future ambition is to take a state-long course title and finish on the podium at the national level.
“I’d like to get my first long course gold medal for states and for nationals. I’d just like to come in the top three,” Roode said.
“I need to take about four or five seconds off the top in my age group and also I’m hoping to make open nationals this year and go against the big guys.”
Haileybury coach Wayne Lawes said shifting Roode’s expectations to a long-term perspective was crucial to improving his results.
“He’s a talent and he’s got a great engine,” Lawes said.
“It’s just a matter of the progression and building with the long-term view.
“We want him to try and be a great swimmer and enjoy the sport into the future.”
In other Dandenong results at the Swimming Victoria State Short Course Championships, Oasis Otters’ Hamed Afshin Azar won silver in the boys under-12 200m breaststroke and bronze in the under-12 100m breaststroke and Dandenong superfish Nick Galileos, 14, won two silver and three bronze for his Casey TigerSharks swim team.
