WAGGA'S Jamie Mooney is officially a national champion after winning gold in his pet event at the Australian Age Swimming Championships at the Gold Coast on Wednesday night.
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The Wagga Swim Club member clocked a personal best 51.42 seconds in the 16 years 100m freestyle heats, before backing up with 51.43 in the final to outpoint Hugh Dolle (51.51) and Jess Coleman (51.64).
It's an ideal confidence boost for the 16-year-old before he competes in the Olympic trials in the blue riband event at Adelaide in June.
Mooney clocked a personal best and championship record 51.54 seconds in the 100m freestyle at the recent NSW Country Championships in Sydney, which booked his place in the Olympic trials.
The Mater Dei Catholic College student told The Daily Advertiser in February he also hopes to set Olympic trial qualifying times in the 50m and 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley.
He also feels he has plenty of rapid improvement left in him in the 100m freestyle, and hopes to break the 50-second mark by the end of the year.
Mooney was due to continue a busy schedule in the 50m freestyle on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, Mooney's clubmate Ashley Van Rijswijk added a second medal to her tally at the Australian Multiclass Championships on the Gold Coast on Tuesday night.
IN OTHER NEWS
Fresh from claiming bronze in the 100m breaststroke the night before, the Tumut swimmer clocked 36.75 in the 50m breaststroke final to be edged out by Sunshine Coast competitor Keira Stephens (36.60).
On the opening day of the Australian Age Championships at the same venue, Wagga Swim Club's Chloe Donelan produced the 31st-fastest time in the girls 14 years 200m individual medley heats.
Donelan fared better in Thursday's 200m backstroke heats, posting the fourth-fastest time for Thursday's final with a personal best of 2:23.13.
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