By Emily-Rose Toohey
Stanthorpe’s Ben Armbruster represented his hometown at the Commonwealth Games last week in the Men’s 50m Backstroke and swam his way into the final, placing seventh overall with 25.37.
After impressive heat and semi-final swims, Ben repped Australia as a member of the Dolphins team at his first games with pride, and what’s certain is he’ll be back again (he swam 25.21 in the semi-final, placing third and 25.18 in the heat, also placing third).
The swimmer arrived back in Australia from Birmingham (his first time travelling overseas) over the weekend and said he had a lot of fun at the games.
“It’s a completely different competing experience with all the athletes together and I learnt a lot and have brought a lot of knowledge back,” Ben said.
“My coaches were saying the games were all about the experience – the pressures are not as high at The Commonwealth Games but it was great to have the international experience against some of the best swimmers from half of the world.”
But there’s no slowing Ben down as he’s headed straight back into the pool to train for the World Championship trials that are happening in three weeks.
“Making another Australian team in the same year would be amazing,” Ben said.
With only three weeks of intensive backstroke training in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games, Ben and his coach have discussed how he’d like to specialise in more than one stroke, which would make him a more valuable swimmer.
“It gives you more of a chance to make it on the team and swim the relays,” he said.
Ben’s first coach, Stanthorpe Pool’s Gail Smail, trained him between the ages of four and 18, and she said he had done very well at the games and was proof that you can achieve anything – even from a rural location.
“I don’t think he’s realised what he achieved,” Gail said.
“He’s inspired the local swimming club kids.”
Ben’s Mum Shannon Armbruster has also played a major part in Ben’s swimming career and said the Stanthorpe Pool only opened half the year due to the cold and as a result, Ben started travelling to Warwick for year-round training after making it on to the Queensland squad as a high school senior.
“He played basketball and soccer in the summer months to keep up fitness,” Shannon said.
In the lead-up to Ben’s Commonwealth Games debut, she said she was looking forward to watching him realise a childhood dream of representing Australia.
“He’s worked really hard this year, and no matter the outcome, we will still be happy and very proud of him,” Shannon said.
With Butterfly and Freestyle as Ben’s other two key strokes, the swimmer said he’d like to get as much experience as possible in the lead-up to the Olympic Games trials.
“Thank you to everyone back home for the support,” he said.
And Stanthorpe and the Southern Downs at large will be behind him all the way.
