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Titmus eyes main event after Games nod

Breakout star Ariarne Titmus has earned selection for her first Commonwealth Games swimming team but reckons it is a warm-up for the main event this week.

Ariarne Titmus on prepares to dive at the Australian Swimming Trials.

Ariarne Titmus earned a spot at the Commonwealth Games but her focus is on an interschool carnival. (AAP)

She has just earned selection for her first Commonwealth Games swimming team.

But breakout star Ariarne Titmus reckons the Gold Coast Games selection trials were a mere warm-up for the main event - an interschool swimming carnival on Wednesday night.

The 17-year-old became the first woman in 14 years to snare the national 200m-400m-800m freestyle treble, breaking an Australian record along the way.

Titmus was excited about her Games debut but was more pumped up for an event she believed rivalled the world titles - Wednesday's Queensland Girls Secondary Schools Sports Association carnival in Brisbane.

St Peters Lutheran College will have the ultimate ace up their sleeve with national 200m champion Titmus lining up for the event at the carnival.

Titmus upset world titles silver medallist Emma McKeon to claim her first 200m Australian crown before breaking the 400m national record and going close to repeating the feat in the 800m final at the trials.

"I reckon it's on par with the world championships," 2017 world titles rookie Titmus said of the carnival.

"The whole night's buzzing. The music and everyone there, I'm so excited.

"It's so fun getting all the girls together - it's probably the best night on the swimming calendar, it's way more fun than (trials)."

Titmus' animated coach Dean Boxall is also excited about the carnival - to say the least.

"You can't even talk to Dean during this carnival, he's another level crazy - probably worse than here," Titmus laughed.

It won't be all play at the carnival.

After Titmus earned Games selection, the teenager had her eyes on another very important prize - the interschool carnival trophy.

"This is a big deal for us," Titmus said.

"The (school) that wins this carnival is essentially the best group of girl swimmers in the country, I believe.

"And being the captain as well, I really want to set a good example and hopefully inspire some girls with my swims.

"We really want to win this trophy, so I've got to do my job."

Titmus and her family moved from her native Tasmania three years ago to Brisbane so she could pursue her swimming.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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