1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Now athletes from across the country. They are set to 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: converge on the Northern Territory this week as the Country 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Swimming Championships and Junior Age Challenge begin. Kicking off on 4 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: Saturday and running for four days. The event features well 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: country and rural swimmers from all over Australia competing for 6 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: the title of the fastest country swimmer in Australia. And 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: joining me in the studio to tell us a little 8 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: bit more is the CEO of swimming here in the 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: Northern Territory, Warren Dobson. Good morning, Warren. 10 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: Okay, how are you? 11 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: Yeah? Good, really good to see you. Thank you so 12 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: much for coming in. It's going to be a massive 13 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: weekend of swimming, isn't it. 14 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 2: It's a huge weekend. 15 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 3: It's the biggest meet in the Northern Territory all year 16 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 3: and yeah, we're really looking forward to it. 17 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: How many athletes are you expecting to take part? 18 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 3: Oh, we've got two hundred and eighty one swimmers all 19 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 3: up from, as you said, all across the country. It's 20 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 3: a regional based event, so they're not from any capital 21 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 3: city and it's a great opportunity for those regional Yeah. 22 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:02,959 Speaker 1: So what kind of locations are you looking at. 23 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 3: Well, they're across every state, so you have it from 24 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 3: Cannes down on the Gold Coast, all throughout New South Wales, 25 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 3: Central Coast area out west New South Wales. We've got 26 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 3: a lot of teams from Victoria, Wangaratta and a few 27 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 3: clubs in Bendigo and all those sorts of areas across. 28 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 3: A lot of representation from South Australia and WA, so 29 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 3: it is really across the whole country. 30 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, I reckon, it's wonderful. It's the second time it's 31 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: happening in the Northern Territory. My kids were part of 32 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: it last year. It's a fantastic event and there is 33 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,199 Speaker 1: like these kids from everywhere here, which is really great 34 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: to see an. 35 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 3: Event this size is really sort of foreign to kids 36 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 3: from regional areas. They don't get the opportunity to swim 37 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 3: in larger meats, both with heats and finals, so it's 38 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 3: a great opportunity for them and that's why we get 39 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 3: such a huge number from all across the country. 40 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: So it's great and it's the other part of it, 41 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: and I think that this is a great thing about sport, 42 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: particularly when you talk about events like this one where 43 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: you've got families coming from other locations. Is it actually 44 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: it flows on to the rest of the economy as well. 45 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: You know, we're talking off about the fact that in 46 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: the morning, you know, the kids have the heats, then 47 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: in the afternoon they got the finals. They got the 48 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: middle of the day when they're meant to rest and 49 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: been ready for the finals. But they've come from somewhere else. 50 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: They're are you know, eating in our restaurants, they're out 51 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: shopping in different places, and it does have that flow 52 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: on to the rest of the economy. 53 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 2: It definitely does. 54 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 3: Look, there's a fantastic number of attractions that you can 55 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,799 Speaker 3: drive to from anywhere around here in Darwin, and you know, 56 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:39,799 Speaker 3: we're hoping that the people that come from you to 57 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 3: state stay a little bit longer, and that's the aim, 58 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 3: and we've sold it that way to them. And yeah, 59 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 3: from the feedback that we're getting there not only staying 60 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 3: here and looking forward to seeing everything that Darwin has 61 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 3: to offer, but they're going to stick around because of the 62 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 3: school holidays or we've actually even seen some that have 63 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 3: already arrived into the pool and they're yeah, as you said, 64 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 3: they're spending their money in local Darwin Economy and it's. 65 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 2: Going to be great. 66 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is. It's a wonderful event. Now tell me 67 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: there are other events also happening in conjunction with the carnival, 68 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: aren't they. So what's going on? What else is on? 69 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 2: Pretty busy the day before the carnival. 70 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 3: Actually, we've from about one o'clock in the afternoon, we've 71 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 3: got a Junior Excellence Clinic, which is assuming Australia sponsored event. 72 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 3: We've got one hundred kids registered for that, which is 73 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 3: really fantastic. We've got our event ambassador, Chelsea Hodges, who's 74 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 3: the Olympic gold medalist. She's coming up to host of 75 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 3: that event, look after and have a chat with the 76 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 3: kids and run them through a bit of a training 77 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 3: session for that. Following that, we've got a session for 78 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 3: the senior swimmers as well. We don't want to leave 79 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 3: those out. The Jakes Clinics for nine to thirteen year 80 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 3: old so we'll cover off everybody there. We've got technical 81 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 3: officials coming in so I think there's twenty eight officials 82 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 3: all up, and from what I can gather, I think 83 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 3: there's about fourteen from around Australia and again they're flown 84 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 3: their own way here and pay to their own expenses. 85 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 3: So it's a fantastic for us to have these femal 86 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 3: level or water aquatics level officials here. So it's really 87 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 3: great for the Northern Territory officials. So we're running a 88 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 3: training day for all the officials on the Friday as well, 89 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 3: and then to top off the Friday, we're holding Women's 90 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 3: Health Initiative, so working with the team from Territory Sports 91 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 3: Medicine where we're going to just provide information to the 92 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 3: female athletes and obviously they're female guardian either parent or 93 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 3: support person to come along and learn about women's health, 94 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 3: which is really important for teenage athletes especially. 95 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: It's a high. 96 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 3: Dropout sort of in that fourteen to sixteen age group, 97 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 3: so we're just providing some information that can hopefully help 98 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 3: them through. 99 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, I reckon, that's a really good idea, And you know, 100 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: it's wonderful to see kids achieving at a high standard 101 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: when it comes to sport, but it's also really wonderful 102 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: to keep them in the sport, particularly in those teenage 103 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: years where like you said, you see that high drop 104 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,559 Speaker 1: out rate and you want to keep them in the sport, 105 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: whether it's swimming, or whatever sport it is, because it's 106 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: so beneficial in so many different ways to their lives. 107 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,799 Speaker 2: Exactly, Swimming is a really hard sport. 108 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 3: It's not one of the easiest sports, and you don't 109 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 3: go to training two afternoons a week, and so there 110 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 3: is a lot of dedication and you spend a lot 111 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 3: of your life in the pool as a teenager. So 112 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 3: I think a lot of the idea behind the Women's 113 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 3: Health Initiative is just to give those girls a bit 114 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 3: of support. You know, it has been a taboo topic 115 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 3: in the past, I suppose, and you know, we're just 116 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 3: trying to make it a level playing field for everybody. 117 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I reckon, that's a great idea. Now tell me. 118 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: I know we can never sort of, you know, pick 119 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: and choose names of people or races that you want 120 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: to keep an eye on. But is there some exciting 121 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: races that you are expecting this weekend? And we've got 122 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: some phenomenal athletes when it comes to swimming in the 123 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: Northern Terra and certainly some to keep an eye on, 124 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: you know as they go up into the into you know, 125 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: their older years or into those different competitions around the nation. 126 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, So. 127 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 3: I mentioned Chelsea Hodges before the event ambassador. She's coming 128 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 3: back from hip surgery and so she's actually going to 129 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 3: race in her fifty one hundred meter breastroke, so that'll 130 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 3: be fantastic for everyone there to watch an Olympic gold 131 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 3: medal of swim in the pool. 132 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 2: So that's that's going to be a real highlight. 133 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 3: We've also got and I believe you've spoken to her before, 134 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 3: Macy Sheridan, who's just phenomenal performance. Earlier in Australian Age 135 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 3: Championships in April down on the Gold Coast, she won 136 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 3: six gold medals. 137 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 2: It's a very very rare feat. 138 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 3: So Macy's here competing this week and I'm thinking about 139 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 3: eight or nine events, so she's going to have a 140 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 3: busy program. So whenever you're watching Macy swim, it's just 141 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 3: it's beautiful to watch. He's an incredible swimmers. So we're 142 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 3: really looking forward to that. And look, there's plenty of swimmers, 143 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 3: plenty of opportunities for these kids to post times, and 144 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 3: it is really the first meet of the year where 145 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 3: they can post the qualifying times for astrain age next year. 146 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 3: So I think everyone's zamped up and ready to go 147 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 3: and should be good. 148 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: Absolutely now, it'll be a fantastic weekend. And you know, 149 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: like I always say, I just think it's wonderful to 150 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: have our young people involved in sports. Swimming's an incredible 151 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: sport and we do so well, you know, right around 152 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: the world when it comes to swimming. Australia definitely bats 153 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: above our average, don't. 154 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 3: We're after the World Championships in Fukuoka. We're currently the 155 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 3: number one swimming nation in the world, so given that 156 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 3: we have a population such smaller than the US, it's 157 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 3: a feat that we'll hold on to as long as 158 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 3: we can. 159 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: Absolutely, we love beating all the other countries in any sport, 160 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: don't we. Warren, good to speak to you this morning. 161 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: All the best for the weekend, no doubt it's going 162 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: to run very smoothly. We really appreciate your time this morning. 163 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 2: Nora, Thanks very much. 164 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: Thank you.