The Peel Aquatic Club made a significant impression on the national stage last month, delivering standout performances at the Australian Open Swimming Championships held on the Gold Coast. This event served as a crucial stepping stone towards the Commonwealth Games trials scheduled for June.
Club's Representation and Achievements
The Mandurah-based swimming club had two members attend the championships after securing their qualifications at the WA State Championships in December of the previous year. Fin Larmour, aged 22, produced a breakthrough swim in the men's open 50m breaststroke. He climbed from the 18th seed to finish sixth in the A final with a time of 28.07 seconds. The event was won by Gold Coast swimmer Gideon Burnes, who clocked 27.24 seconds.
His teammate, Sean Alcorn, 19, who trains with the Western Australian Institute of Sport, claimed silver medals in both the 100m and 200m butterfly events in the 19–20 years category.
Swimmers' Reflections
Larmour described Nationals as a very positive meet for him, especially considering he had spent the last three years out of the water. 'Having been only back for a few months and marking my first open final with a PB (personal best) gives me confidence moving forward,' he said. 'I still feel like I have only just scratched the surface and I am motivated to keep experimenting, building strength and training hard into trials in June.'
Alcorn expressed his encouragement with his performance at the championship. 'Even with a limited taper, I was able to get close to my personal bests, and I’m looking forward to building on that momentum for the Australian trials in June,' he said.
Long-Term Olympic Goals
Both swimmers are now targeting long-term goals, including the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. The club's head coach, Renan Poirier, brings more than a decade of international coaching experience to the team, including time at the Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille, where he worked with Olympians and international medallists across multiple Olympic cycles.
'Performances like these are encouraging signs for the direction we are heading in at Peel Aquatic Club,' Mr Poirier said. 'Our focus is on developing swimmers who can continue to progress to higher levels and work towards long-term goals, including Brisbane 2032. Both Fin and Sean are outstanding, dedicated swimmers, and we couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and commitment.'
