Published 27 July 2023
The next generation stars of the pool will be the focus of the 2024 Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships which will be held from 18th – 20th January.
With Royal Life Saving elite athletes competing internationally in 2023, the spotlight will shift to the U14 and U16 age groups in a bid to identify the next stars of Pool Lifesaving who will carry forward Australia’s standing in the world rankings.
A pre-championship event will focus on co-designing a youth engagement strategy for lifesaving sport and these young up-and-coming athletes with a focus on skills development and engagement.
Royal Life Saving Society – Australia National Manager – Lifesaving Development Brooke Cherfils said the key difference between Pool Lifesaving and other sports was the application of the skills to real-life emergencies.
“The athletes aren’t just the fastest in the pool on the day; they also have to be the best technically,” Ms Cherfils said.
“In a real-life emergency how you hold the person during a rescue can be the difference between life and death, so in the mannikin tow the athletes are being held to that very high standard.
“We have some exceptionally talented athletes in the current national team and our challenge with these championships is to start the new talent identification and development process to grow that pipeline of future Australian representatives.”
The Australian Commonwealth Team for the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships, a Commonwealth Games Federation sanctioned and supported event which is being held in Canada in September 2023 are all expected to compete at the Australian Championships in 2024.
The Australian Championships will be coming back to Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre after the successful 2023 meet.
Events including the Simulated Emergency Response Competition will provide plenty of excitement for those sitting poolside during the competition, as athletes race against the clock to identify and respond to multiple emergencies unfolding.
Athlete Registration and Officials applications will open in October 2023.
For further details for the Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships click here.
