Fraser-holmes In Fast Lane With Ais

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday October 28, 2008

JOSH LEESON JUNIORS

THE swimming career of Newcastle's Thomas Fraser-Holmes has taken another turn for the better after he was offered an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship.

This latest development has the 17-year-old perfectly placed to push for a spot in Australia's 2010 Commonwealth Games squad for New Delhi.

Fraser-Holmes was a member of this year's Australian high performance youth squad (Flippers) along with Hunter Swim Club teammates Erin Killey, 16, and Eliza Smith, 14. Squad members competed against the best Australian and New Zealand swimmers.

To top off his scholarship, the medley talent won the NSW Youth Swimmer of the Year award on Saturday night in Sydney.

? Girls keen to become the next Stephanie Gilmore or Layne Beachley should dust off their boards in November.

The Redhead Mobile Surf School will be hosting a two-day coaching clinic on November 15 and 16.

Blacksmiths, Caves Beach or Stockton beaches will be used for the event, depending on conditions.

The event is endorsed by Surfing Australia and aimed at girls aged 10 and above.

? Samurai Judo Academy at Newcastle PCYC returned from the 2008 Australian titles at Olympic Park this month with a medal of each colour.

Toronto 13-year-old Liam Yokoyama won gold in the junior boys' under-50 kilograms division.

Yokoyama plans to further his judo training at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo next January.

Samurai teammate Melinda Brown, 15, was only eight seconds off winning gold in the under-52kg girls.

The Cardiff teen was leading in the dying stages until her opponent pulled off a decisive move to relegate her to the silver medal.

Liam Bruckdorfer, 15, took home bronze in the under-90kg boys and Harry Chalker, 15, just missed out on bronze to finish fourth.

It was a good effort for Chalker because he competed up a weight division in the under-66kg class.

? Issac Davis's mother must have trouble catching him around the house.

The eight-year-old Edgeworth boy this month won gold in the under-nine 100 metres at the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association State Championships at Homebush.

The St Benedict's Edgeworth student is the only representative from the Hunter Region to have made a final in the event for at least eight years and the first to win gold.

Davis won the final in a personal-best time of 14.45 seconds, after earlier winning the semi-final and his heat in just over 15 seconds.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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