By Gavin Staindl
STANDING on the starting blocks at a recent state swim meet, Australian backstroke champion Hayden Stoeckel takes one look at the “little kid” lining up next to him and chuckles.
Stoeckel, an Olympic bronze medallist and former Commonwealth record holder, never thought he would be tested by a pint-sized opponent in his pet event – the 100-metres backstroke.
But less then a minute later, Australia’s best-known backstroke swimmer was counting his lucky stars that he wasn’t upstaged by little-known swimmer Josh Beaver.
Finishing an ominous second, Beaver announced he is here to stay.
At first glance, not many would pick Beaver, who stands at 1.68cm (or 5’6” in the old language), as a world-class swimmer. But put him in a pool and he’ll gladly show you otherwise.
The 18-year-old Tooradin resident recently returned from Peru, where he finished sixth in the 100m backstroke and seventh in the 50m backstroke at the Junior World Championships.
This means Beaver, a Casey TigerSharks member, is among the 10 best junior backstroke swimmers in the world.
“This was by far the biggest swim meet I have competed in,” Beaver said.
Beaver qualified third fastest in his heat of the 100m and his 0.3 second personal best in the 50m heat had his competitors on edge early in the competition.
But Beaver admitted nerves got the better of him throughout the finals and hoped the experience would act as a learning curve as he looked to the London 2012 Olympic qualifications.
“Walking out to the race in the final it all hits you at the one point,” Beaver said.
“The Americans had a big team with plenty of support and the Italians and Russians were all going crazy and I just got really anxious to start swimming.
“(In the final) my body started to jam up and I wasn’t relaxed, but now I know what to expect next time and I can build off that.”
Beaver originally set his sights on the Olympics in 2016, but after an impressive two years where he has developed into one of the best young talents in the country, Beaver is pinning his hopes on making the London 2012 national team.
“Things have moved really fast over the last two to three years,” Beaver said.
“I’m doing all the right things to get there and I’m only a few seconds outside the Olympic qualification time.”
Last week at the Victorian Age Short Course Championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Beaver smashed a long-standing 100m backstroke record held by three-time Olympic medallist Andrew Lauterstein. He swam in a time of 53.48.
In a time of 1.57.63, Beaver also beat the 200m backstroke record held by fellow TigerShark swimmer and good mate Matson Lawson.
Despite his stand-out performance and bright future, Beaver is not one to brag.
“I try to keep it quiet,” Beaver said.
“I’ll let my friends know and those I swim with, but I do what I do because I love it, but I keep it to myself.
“To others I am just another swimmer, but I feel I am accomplishing where I am at.”
