Gold medals rain at World Para Swimming World Series

NSWIS athletes Tiffany Thomas Kane and Timothy Hodge secured two gold medals apiece at the 2019 World Para Swimming World Series at the Melbourne Sport and Aquatic Centre over the weekend. Ellie Cole added a further gold to the Australian team tally.

After a breakout year in 2018, which saw him win silver at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Timothy Hodge (S9) claimed two gold medals for Australia, adding the Men’s 50m Backstroke Multi-Class and the Men’s 200m IM Multi-Class titles to his list of achievements.

The 18-year-old NSW Institute of Sport Scholarship Holder recorded a terrific time of 30.27 in the breaststroke event.

Striving to carry momentum he gained from last year’s Para Pan Pacifics in Cairns, Hodge was pleased with his performance and said he is aiming to improve on his skills in the pool as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games draws closer.

“Yeah I’m really happy, I went into this final just hoping for a decent time and I managed to get a small PB so I’m happy” Hodge said.

“It’s been great racing here, I’ve never actually raced in this outdoor pool before, so it’s been a great experience.

“Preparing for the next Paralympics, I’ll be working on the small stuff like skills to try and perfect my individual race leading up to Tokyo and hopefully I’ll be fit and ready to go.”

After finishing on top of the podium in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class, Tiffany Thomas Kane added the Women’s 100m Breaststroke Multi-Class title to her list of achievements.

“I’m really happy with that race” said Thomas Kane.

“Coming into this meet, I didn’t know how well I was going to go but to get the time I did and the gold medal in my main event, I’m really happy.”

“I’ve got my mum and my coach here, so having them behind me made me swim faster.”

Thomas Kane also took a silver medal in her 200m Individual Medley event.

NSWIS Scholarship Holder Ellie Cole (S9) claimed her first international gold medal in her home town, taking home the top honour in the Women’s 100m Backstroke Multi-Class.

Recording a time of 1:11.08, claiming the title in her home state was a memorable moment for Cole, who dedicated her victory to a very special guest in the stands.

“I had my niece here tonight and I promised her I’d win gold, obviously it’s out of my hands, so she’s going to be really excited when I take it upstairs and put it around her neck – hopefully I’ve inspired a future Olympian here tonight, being my niece, no pressure!” Cole laughed.

“Having the World Para Series here for the first time is really special, and I think it’s opened the eyes of many Victorians of what Para-swimming is about, which is why I love to swim.

“To be here in front of people that I grew up around is really special and to still be swimming 17 years after I started at the same pool is amazing.”