Libby Trickett keeping an eye on competition at the Australian National Trials
Three times Olympic gold medallist, Australian Libby Trickett, has announced that she will not take part in the Australian Nationals but she will keep a close eye on the competitors racing there. She says that the results of the races concerns her participation
at the 2011 Shanghai World Championships in July.
The Australian National Swimming Championships are a trial basis selection for the Australian team to compete at the 2011 World Championships, where the gold medallist in each event will be confirm their spots at the 2012 London Olympics from their respective
countries.
The 26-year-old Trickett retired from competitive swimming in 2009 but announced her comeback to competitive swimming in September 2010. Trickett, because of rules created by the international sports governing body FINA, cannot take part in any FINA organized
event within the nine months of her comeback. Therefore, she cannot be part of the current Australian trials for the 2011 World Championships in July. However, with the cooperation of the Australian Head Coach, Leigh Nugent, who left one spot in each relay
event, Trickett will be allowed to give a special time trial on June 29 under the supervision of Nugent.
Trickett will only be allowed to book her spot for the Shanghai Championships if she posts a time near to the fifth fastest Australian freestyle swimmer in this Australian Nationals. The event is considered a battle among the world’s best swimming stars,
including Alice Mills, Yolane Kukla, Emily Seebohm and Alicia Coutts.
This provides Trickett with a considerable advantage of knowing where she has to place herself after two months because she will know the timings of each player.
"I've never really thought about placing or times, that's never really been my way of doing things as a competitor, but it is definitely going to give me something tangible to work towards," Trickett said. "It's not only the time but you've got to touch
the wall first as well, so it will be interesting to see who misses out, who I will be competing against as well," she added.
Trickett is considered the best hope for Swimming Australia at the World Championships this year and in the next year Olympics.
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