Cartwright bounces back at Comm trials

Jack Cartwright has bounced back to earn Gold Coast Commonwealth Games selection despite being hospitalised at the trials with a heart condition.

Trips to the hospital are now becoming commonplace for rising star Jack Cartwright at the national swimming championships.

Cartwright, 19, has been diagnosed with the same heart condition that forced Rio Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers to take 2017 off.

He has qualified for the blue-riband 100m freestyle at the Games, but not before going to hospital at the trials for the second straight year.

Last year Cartwright was suffering bronchitis at the national trials but what he pulled off at this week's trials beggars belief.

Cartwright said he was no risk of missing the Games but would consult a specialist after the trials to manage the condition after a health scare in Wednesday's 200m freestyle heats.

Cartwright's heart rate raced over 200 beats per minute while racing but somehow finished his heat.

"It made me real breathless and dizzy during the race but I just pushed through to see what I could do," Cartwright said.

"I went to hospital that night and got the all clear to race again."

Chalmers had an operation last year for supraventricular tachycardia or SVT - a condition that causes the heart rate to increase dramatically.

"It's not really serious but it's the fact that it makes you so breathless and fatigued - after that (200m) race I almost fainted.," Cartwight said.

After missing the 200m final, Cartwright steeled himself to snatch his last chance to make the Games team in the 100m on Thursday.

He scraped into the 100m final, tying with Chalmers for seventh spot to earn the last place in the eight-strong field.

Cartwright then roared home from an outside lane in the final to clock 48.60 seconds to place second behind Chalmers (48.16) and earn a 100m berth.

"I am pretty proud of myself," Cartwright said.

Cartwright has known about the condition since March 2016 but said it was the first time it had occurred while racing.

Chalmers has shown the condition can be managed, coming back from his break to claim the 100m-200m double at the Gold Coast trials.

Australia coach Jacco Verhaeren admitted he had never come across one let alone both of his top sprinters suffering from the same heart ailment.

"Maybe it is an unlucky coincidence. Thank God it doesn't seem to affect them too much in a competition," he said.

"Both aren't a risk of missing out on anything at the Games but it is definitely something we will keep an eye on."


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Source: AAP



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