Tokyo is calling for a Brisbane teen who has already smashed the age records of swimming greats Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Mack Horton.
Andrew Dawson
Courier Mail
April 5, 2021
A Brisbane schoolboy who has shadowed the age records of swimming giants Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Mack Horton looms as a selection bolter for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Samuel Short, 17, is the boom 1500m prospect in the country who is rated by his coach Damien Jones as “a genuine chance’’ to swim the Olympic Games qualifying time of 14:54 minutes at the trials in June.
“He has to be top two and under the qualifying standard,’’ said Jones, the Centenary Rackley swim coach. “His work ethic and ability to push himself under a lot of stress are his greatest attributes.’’
Short, who will compete at the All Age national championships starting at the Gold Coast on Tuesday, said while the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2024 Paris Olympics were goals, he may as well go for Tokyo. “I am close, so I may as well give it a go,’’ Short said. “I believe I can definitely go under that time, if not go very close to it.’’
In the last three years the Prince of Peace College year 12 student has bettered some age 800m and 1500m achievements by Hackett and Horton, and has been within sight of some of Thorpe’s junior times.
“Being compared to names like that makes you want to go harder. It is good to see my name next to those names,’’ Short said.
Short, also a champion surf life saver who will compete with Maroochydore SLSC at the nationals next weekend, said he relished working hard.
“Being a 1500m swimmer, you have to work hard to be good at it. I push myself and seeing the improvement every day is satisfying,’’ said Short, who enjoys training alongside Tom Neill who is another young Olympic contender from Rackley Centenary.
