Experienced campaigners Will Bonney, 16, of Riverside Aquatic, and Dawson Howell, 16, of Launceston Aquatic, are joined by rising stars Hugh Dolle, 13, of South Esk and Adelaide Skipper, 14, of Launceston Aquatic.

Skipper and Dolle were part of the Tasmanian team at the Pacific School Games in Adelaide last December, but this will be their first time at national age titles.

Also on the team to compete in Sydney from April 21 to 28 are: Rose Castle and Sam Askey-Doran (HC); Matilda Smith and Tadhg Waddington (Sandy Bay); and Kate Denholm, Lauryn Todorovic, Sophie Botterill-James, Ella May, Stefanie McCarthy, Amelie McCarthy, Mollie Bailey, Noah Kamprad, Max Giuliani, Jonty Clues, James Clues, Yan’an Chen and Jet Jankiewicz (Hobart Aquatic).

Tasmanian swimming officials Tracey Rowell and Denise McLaughlin will be on duty, Swimming Tasmania has said.

Zane Hadley and JeJoon Littler made the under-15 surf swim race final at Surf Life Saving Australia’s youth championships in Western Australia.

Three other Tasmanians are also competing at the titles at Scarborough Beach: Jensen Walton, Phoebe Woodhouse and Elsie Menzie. Littler is with the Devonport SLS club while the other four are with Ulverstone SLSC. Hadley, 14, swims competitively with Riverside and Walton, 13, with Ulverstone. Littler, 15, has competed for Latrobe.

The Commonwealth Games has produced an array of fine results from Tasmanian athletes, three of whom are former Swimming Tasmania members: swimmer Ariarne Titmus (three gold and one silver), triathlete Jake Birtwhistle (one gold and one silver) and weightlifter Kaitlyn Fassina (silver).

Only a few years ago, Tasmanians were swimming alongside Titmus, 17, at learn to swim, club (Riverside and Launceston Aquatic), school (Sacred Heart and St Pat’s), regional and state events.

While not every young swimmer will attain the success of Titmus, it is to be hoped that the rising star inspires more people to learn to swim, more students to train hard for (and have a go at) their school carnivals, and a greater percentage of the population to have basic water safety skills at the beach, the pool, the lake or the river.