Barratt and Brown Earn Dolphins Selection

Holly Barratt and Nicholas Brown will compete at December’s FINA World Short Course Championships in China after securing selection through the Australian titles in Melbourne.

For Brown, his appearance in China will represent an Australian Dolphins team debut after the 22 year-old earned a berth with victory in the men’s 200m butterfly final.

Brown is one of seven swimmers set to wear green and gold for the first time within the Dolphin’s 20-strong squad with the team blending a rich mix of established experience and new talent.

Barratt continues her national team representative stretch after debuting at last year’s long-course world titles in Hungary before the Rockingham club stalwart won a medal at this year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Her victory in Melbourne – in the 50m fly – confirmed her place in a squad that head coach Jacco Verhaeren has predicted to benefit from in the lead up to the next Olympic Games.

“We are half way into the Olympic cycle so this team will get some good race experience and take a lot out of being on team and training and preparing with this group of athletes.

“It is great to have the leadership of some really experienced multi-campaigners like Emily (Seebohm), Cam (McEvoy), and Mitch (Larkin). To have athletes with that experience on team is a real plus for everyone.

“Short Course is an event that is growing in attention internationally and we will face very tough competition in China from other nations who have well established short course swimmers,” he said.

The team leaves for China on December 6 with racing to begin on December 11.