Australian Trials, Day 3 Finals: Record Fourth Olympics for Cam McEvoy Who Is Joined By Games Rookie Ben Armbruster

PARIS BOUND: Cam McEvoy (Right) off to his record fourth Olympics in Paris while Ben Armbruster will make his Games debut. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Wade's Photos)

Australian Trials, Day 3 Finals: Record Fourth Olympics for Cam McEvoy Who Is Joined By Games Rookie Ben Armbruster

World champion sprinter Cameron McEvoy took just 21.35 seconds to seal a place in Australian swimming history – becoming the first male swimmer to qualify for four Olympic teams in Paris this year, at 30 years of age.

And swimming right alongside McEvoy in the 50m freestyle final on night three of the Australian Trials was Bond’s Ben Armbruster who took just 21.84 seconds to join McEvoy on his first Olympic team.

McEvoy started his career at the 2012 London Games, adding Rio in 2016 where he won his only Olympic medals – bronze in the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays and Tokyo in 2020 – his love of swimming never wavering as he unveiled his new approach to training.

Together with coach Tim Lane and the Sports Science team at the QAS, McEvoy has engineered the power approach to training which saw him win his first world title in the 50m freestyle in Fukuoka last year.

McEvoy said to be the first male swimmer to attend a fourth Games was special.

“About 18 Months ago, my goal was to just come back, give this new training approach a go and see what happened,” said McEvoy.

“(So) the privilege of having that title, having that type of longevity … it shines a lot on the persistence and perseverance that I have.
“You could almost fill a book with legendary Aussie male names in the sport

“What I’ve done so far has just obliterated any expectations I had. I’m most excited to try and get this done (medal at Paris) and then just like compile what I’ve learned and just push it out there into the public.”

Armbruster grew up in Stanthorpe in Queensland’s Southern Downs where the pool is only open six months a year and it wasn’t until he made the Queensland State squad that he started training year round, which meant a 100km round trip to Warwick.

He relocated to the University of the Sunshine Coast in late 2020 – leaving behind his coach of 14 years Gail Small – linking up with noted Olympic gold medal coach Chris Mooney at USC Spartans on the Sunshine Coast.

He then followed Mooney to Bond University on the Gold Coast in 2021 where he is studying for a Bachelor of Sport Management.

“It is like relief. It was happiness. It was a mix of everything, and I just can’t believe it,” said Armbruster, who has his best event, the 100m butterfly later in the week.

“I asked someone to slap me earlier, like just before, because I feel like I’m dreaming.

“My poor family has supported me and got me here. So, I think it’s also a relief for them just to know that everything that they’ve put in, as well as me, has finally paid off.”

BROTHERS IN ARMS: Cam McEvoy and Ben Armbruster off to Paris in the men’s 50m freestyle. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr Swimming Australia

WELL ARMED: Ben Armbruster makes the 50m freestyle qualifier…just! Photo Delly Carr Swimming Australia

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