Bull Shark Ainsley Trotter has spared Australia from a gold medal whitewash at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Romania, storming to victory in the 50m backstroke.
With the introduction of 50m events across all strokes at the Los Angeles Olympics, Trotter will now focus on the dual ambitions of Olympic sprints and a spot alongside her heroes in the Dolphins’ most coveted relay, the 4x100m freestyle.
The 17-year-old Bond University sprinter was Australia’s lone champion of the meet, touching in 27.88 to not only claim the title but also underline her credentials as the next in line in the nation’s storied backstroke tradition. It was the same time she clocked earlier this year to break an all-comers age-group record previously held by multiple Olympic gold medallist Mollie O’Callaghan.
Trotter was the only swimmer to dip under 28 seconds in the final, edging Korea’s Kim Seungwon (28.00) and Britain’s Blythe Kinsman (28.04). Her gold added another chapter to Australia’s rich backstroke history, highlighted by Kaylee McKeown’s double-double triumph in Paris and multiple world records.
For Trotter, it was also a long-awaited breakthrough after near misses at national selection meets. Moments after her backstroke win, she returned to the pool to lead off the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Bond swimming head coach Chris Mooney said Trotter had seized her chance in a transitional period for Australian swimming.
“We’ve promoted a heap of younger athletes into the senior team which left the junior ranks a little bare,” Mooney said.
“We challenged Ainsley to make this team. She grabbed that opportunity and now she’s a world champion.
“She went into the final ranked third, but my favourite saying is that if you have a lane, you have a chance – and she took that chance.
“I’m really very proud of her.”
Mooney believes Trotter’s future lies not only in her pet backstroke sprint but also in freestyle, where she will fight to earn a spot on Australia’s world-beating 4x100m relay – unbeaten at the Olympics since London in 2012.
“Australia’s success in the 100m freestyle and 4x100m relay has always been about depth – eight or 10 women fighting for spots,” he said.
“Ainsley needs to be part of that journey moving forward. It’s not just another event, it’s a really solid opportunity.”
However, with the 50m sprints expanded beyond the freestyle now at the Olympics, Trotter’s path for individual events could include multiple strokes – potentially even butterfly.
“Over the next two or three years, those 50s are going to really change,” Mooney said.
“People are going to specifically train for them.
“We've identified that's going to be the path that we go down.
“She is a (muscle) fibre 1 type athlete, technically sound, strong, and races well. Who’s to say we can’t add the 50 fly as well?”