James McKechnie grabbed a six-gold-medal haul at the state age championships last week underpinning his hopes of eventually representing Australia at the Olympics.
The 16-year-old Trinity College Year 11 student won the 50m freestyle, took out the 200/400 individual medley double, and scooped all three of the breaststroke races, including his pet event, the 200m.
The championships were held at the State Aquatic and Leisure Centre at Marion.
“It was a good meet overall, although some of my times were a little off what I was hoping for,” James said.
“And to qualify for seven events at the nationals was pleasing, including the 100m butterfly.”
McKechnie also won three bronze medals, for the 100m butterfly and the 100/200 freestyle events, and took home a silver for 100m backstroke.
Last year the Starplex Swim Club member won a gold medal at the nationals for the 200m breaststroke and a bronze for the 400m individual medley, which earned him a spot at the Australian Institute of Sport for a national youth squad training camp.
“In September we trained in Canberra and Thredbo, under some of the country’s top coaches, where they help you to harness your skills,” James said.
“Then I was invited back for another camp in December with the Australian junior coach Vince Raleigh, which was a great experience.
“Just to have the use of their underwater cameras to try to understand technique and how to improve was a great help.”
McKechnie holds his age group’s state records for the three breaststroke events (50m, 100m and 200m), which he breaks every time he achieves a personal best.
But it is on the bigger stage the ‘super fish’ is hoping to be able to push himself further, to realise his dream of qualifying for the Olympics.
In the short term, McKechnie has the state open swimming champs next week, then in March the Olympic trials and Australian Open, with the national age in April.
“The main aim for me is not to drop off and to continually see improvements in my results,” James said.
“I need to capitalise on my experience with the AIS and with my new coach, Steve Garner, who recently joined our club and is highly credentialled.
“Naturally the Olympics is the dream, but it is a long road and it will still be a couple of years before I know whether I’m good enough.”
There is plenty of work for McKechnie to do to reach the Olympic qualifying standard for the 200m breaststroke, which is 2.11.
The young gun has shown remarkable improvement over the past two years, and currently has a best time of 2.23 for the event, with an aim of reducing it by six seconds before April.
“I have the capacity to push myself, and I need to smooth out the edges, by tweaking my stroke,” James said.
“It’s the little things, like improving a lift error and getting more fluid, as well as working on turns.”
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