Tickets booked for flying Bull Sharks.
Ben Armbruster has already competed at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games in two different strokes, and he’ll soon add a third to the list.
After racing the 50m backstroke in Birmingham and the 50m freestyle in Paris, the super sprinter will now tackle the 50m butterfly in Glasgow in July.
The Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science student’s experience at last week’s trials in Sydney was a roller coaster.
In his first opportunity to secure a Games berth in the 100m butterfly, he fell agonisingly short of the qualifying time when he finished second to Australian record holder Matt Temple.
Armbruster's heartbreak was compounded the following evening when his 21.80 in the 50m freestyle was only good enough for 5th.
With one last shot left in the barrel, the Stanthorpe-raised speedster took down two Olympic champions in Kyle Chalmers and Cam McEvoy in the 50m butterfly in a new personal best time to lock away a Commonwealth Games berth.
Armbruster has already tasted Commonwealth Games gold after helping Australia take out the 4 x 100m mixed medley relay in 2022, but this time around he’s chasing individual glory.
“I’m pretty excited” Armbruster said. "four years ago I went for the 50 backstroke, and I don’t even train for backstroke.
“I was pretty disappointed with how I went last time, so I’m out for redemption this year and I want to come back with some bling,”
Armbruster will be joined by Bull Sharks teammate and freestyle ace Flynn Southam.
Southam - who joined the Bond swimming club as a nine-year-old - will contest the 100m freestyle after dipping under the qualifying time behind veteran Kyle Chalmers.
The 21-year-old has also tasted Games glory in team events, bringing home three relay gold in Birmingham, but like Armbruster, he’ll be gunning for an individual medal.
Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science student Hannah Casey booked her ticket through a superb swim in the final of the most hotly contested events in Australian swimming - the 200m freestyle. Her gritty fourth place earned her a spot in the women’s star-studded relay team.
Bachelor of Business student and Paris silver medallist Elijah Winnington will line up in the 400m freestyle after touching under qualifying time ahead of superstar Sam Short.
Armbruster, Casey and Winnington will also contest the Pan Pacific Games in Irvine, California, in August, where they will be joined by Bond students Max Giuliani and Milla Jansen and also Bond Swimming Head Coach, Chris Mooney, who was selected as part of the management team.
