Despite being fatigued leading into the qualifying event, Darcy Gilson is off to Hobart to contest the School Sports Australia (SSA) 2018 Swimming Championship.
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He secured his spot on the New South Wales Combined High Schools Sports Association (NSWCHSSA) team after an intense day of competition on May 11 at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
With the proven champion putting in a solid all-round display, including notching up a win in his favourite race which is the 16&Over Boys Multi-Class 50m Breaststroke.
He also placed second in the 50m and 100m back, third in 50m butterfly and 100m free and fourth in 50m free.
Gilson also contributed to his team winning the 50m freestyle relay.
Prior to this he also cleaned up at the 2018 GHF Australian Age Championships, held from April 21-28.
In the 15 to 16 years Open class he picked up seven gold medals and three bronze:
- 1st place in the 50 and 100 breast;
- 1st place in the 50 and 100 back;
- 1st place in the 50 and 100 fly;
- 1st place in the 100m free;
- 3rd place in the 50 m free;
- 3rd place in the 400m free (16 to 18 years );
- 200m im (16 to 18 years).
So understandably Gilson says he was “a bit tired” at the NSW All Schools Secondary Championship.
“I didn’t swim that well on the day as I just had to age champs but I still made the team,” the modest young man says.
This will be the third time his has been able to squeeze the annual SSA championships into his jam-packed swimming schedule.
The most recent being in 2016 when he travelled to Darwin and the trip was well worth it.
Gilson pulled off a phenomenal feat – he won every individual race and broke the previous record.
He competed in the 50 and 100 metre freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly, as well as the 200m freestyle and individual medley (IM).
For this mammoth effort, the youngster was named champion overall male swimmer of the meet.
Breaking records is what he does, so the Year 11 student is training 7 to 8 times a week to stay at the top.
“I spend about 20 hours a week in the pool and do two gym sessions a week,” Gilson says.
Besides doing well in Hobart, Gilson is firmly focused on performing to the best of his ability at the upcoming 2018 Hancock Prospecting Pan Pacific Championship Trials in Adelaide from July 1- 4.
The trials will see teams selected for 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo, Japan and the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships in Cairns, Australia.
