Promising young athlete Tobi Rinaldi will be off to the World Deaf Swimming Championships in August. The 14-year-old has qualified for seven individual events in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Tobi has been swimming at the Albany Creek Leisure Centre in Brisbane since he was 8 years old.
According to his mother Cherice, Tobi started in the learn-to-swim program at six months, gradually progressing through to squads, and commencing a beginner squad when he was 10. “He became a member of the Albany Creek swim club at 11 years old when he started competitive swimming, quicky ascending to the national squad,” she told F2L.
Tobi has been coached for the past two years by Brendan Dowling, head coach of the Albany Creek Leisure Centre. “It’s an amazing achievement for Tobi, to qualify for the championships, and is a testament to the hard work and commitment he has displayed over the past two competitive seasons,” Dowling said.
Over 31 countries will take part in the global championships which run from August 14-19, in Argentina.