Piper already has nationals in sights

Pictured above: Piper Sanderson with coach Harley Connolly at the World Junior Open Water titles in Seychelles.

Narangba’s Piper Sanderson is back from her international debut in Seychelles this month - and already working towards next year’s first goal.

The 18-year-old was 10^th in her individual 10,000m race at the FINA World Junior Open Water Championships, clocking 2 hours 6 minutes 55.9 seconds.

She was also in the Australian 4x1500m mixed squad which finished seventh at the team event in 1 hour 15 minutes 29.2 seconds.

Harley Connolly, Sanderson’s head coach at the Belgravia Swim Team in Burpengary, was also in Mahe as one of the Australian squad coaches.

Coach's praise

“It was a very successful trip for Piper,” Connolly said, “she acquitted herself well, and just missed the break by the main pack but finished at the head of the chasing group.”

Sanderson is now working towards the Australian Open Water Championships in late January, 2023. She won the national 18-19 years crown in Adelaide this year.

Bailey Armstrong, part of the same Belgravia squad, has also just returned from a series of meetings in Europe, following his world titles in Hungary.

Lucky's jet set

However, club colleague Lakeisha Patterson is preparing to fly to Mexico for the Para Swimming World Series meeting on October 6-9.

‘Lucky’ has entered the 100m and 400m freestyle S9 events and 200m individual medley S9 to make up for the competitive racing missed due to COVID at the world titles in June.

The Caboolture resident has been training hard since returning from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last month.