By JARROD POTTER
ANOTHER day, another international meet.
Competing against the best in the world, Casey TigerSharks backstroke dynamos – Josh Beaver, 21, from Tooradin and Matson Lawson, 22, from Langwarrin – were part of the Australian team at the 2014 Pan Pacs (Pan Pacific Swimming Championships).
Churning up some elite times in the outdoor facility, Beaver and Lawson earned their second and third respective Australian team selections and made their chance in the green-and-gold count at the championships, held on the Gold Coast last week.
Beaver earned himself an A-final (top-eight qualifying swimmers at the meet in that event) in his beloved 200-metre backstroke – competing against some of the best backstrokers in an elite world field.
Racing off against USA duo Tyler Clary and Ryan Murphy, Japanese powerhouse Ryosuke Irie and Australian team mate Mitch Larkin, Beaver managed to storm home and finish fifth in 1.57.70.
TigerSharks’ coach Ben Hiddlestone said for Beaver to make that final swimming in the outdoor pool without the roof, a unique experience for the mostly indoor swimmer, was equally as positive as his Commonwealth Games results and accolades.
“Beaver did really well – beaver probably equalled his performances at the Comm Games,” Hiddlestone said.
“Doing backstroke outdoors was always difficult – the swimmers lose their bearings totally without the roof.
“His biggest competition all train outdoors permanently and are used to getting their bearings outdoors without the roof, so the extra level of competition and the outdoor pool equalled Josh’s results.
“I think it’s a tougher comp – it only goes for four days, it was raining and was outdoors and difficult for everyone.”
Beaver’s other race – the 100m backstroke – finished with a 10th place finish overall and second in the B-final to earn a 54.05.
Lawson featured in the 200m backstroke B-final and swam a 2.00.49.
Hiddlestone said the swim against the world’s best backstrokers – traditionally swimmers from America and Japan – made the meet important to gauge the duo’s results.
“It’s really good looking towards the World Champs and Rio (Olympics),” Hiddlestone said.
“The Commonwealth Games are a good meet and it’s great to get the medals, but for backstroke it’s the Americans and Japanese who are the best…”
Hiddlestone’s involvement wasn’t just on pool deck as a TigerSharks coach, he was also one of three Victorian swimming coaches selected for the Swimming Australia 11-coach Pan Pacs panel.
“It was very interesting – humbled to be on deck with not only the famous Australian coaches – but the international American and Japanese coaches,” Hiddlestone said.
“We’ve watched their videos, read their books and it was a really good to socialise and talk to them and make some connections there that will be beneficial in the future.”
Beaver’s next challenge is at the Swim Stars in Singapore – an elite invitational swim meet reserved for the best eight swimmers in each discipline – held on 5 September.
