More Bull Sharks have been tied up making lengthy customs declarations after bringing another gold haul back into the country.
Mikayla Bird was the star of the Youth Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago bringing home gold in the 100m and 200m butterfly and the 4x200m mixed freestyle relay. She also won bronze medals in the 50m butterfly, the 200m freestyle and was part of the third placed 4x100m mixed freestyle and 4x100m mixed medley relay teams.
At the same time the Queensland State Swimming squad, led by Bond’s Director of Swimming Kyle Samuelson, dominated the 2023 English Summer Championships in Sheffield with 27 gold and 15 silver medals across 53 events.
The team won either gold or silver in every final they contested and produced 38 personal best times.
They were headlined by Bull Sharks Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship recipient Josh Collett, sport leadership scholarship holder Mathilda King and Layla Day, who claimed eight gold and two silver medals between them.
While Samuelson and the four swimmers are anticipating a few days of much deserved sleep-ins, Bond head coach Chris Mooney is celebrating another significant milestone for the program.
“Mikayla was superb and our team in the UK smashed it," he said.
It was a great opportunity for Josh, Layla and Tilly to get some experience racing overseas and each of them was able to produce a personal best time which isn't an easy thing to do.
“They are up-and-comers who have made some great gains this year and to be able to put that into performance at an international competition is really pleasing to see.’’
Collett, a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences student, returned home with gold medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke while Day won the 50m freestyle and 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke. Legal Studies student King was first in the 50m breaststroke and claimed silver in the 100m and 200m.
The Bull Sharks squad will be almost at back to full strength at training next week with Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship recipient Flynn Southam also back from his gold medal-winning appearance at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan.
However, the reunion will be short-lived as Southam, Gideon Burns and Milla Jansen join the Australian Dolphins team, of which Samuelson will be one of the coaches, for the World Junior Championships in Israel next month.