By JARROD POTTER
STANDING on the podium twice in one week and earning three medals has been beyond Commonwealth Games swimmer Josh Beaver’s wildest dreams.
Beaver, 23, from Tooradin, set the pool ablaze in Glasgow as he claimed the Casey TigerSharks Swimming Club’s first Commonwealth Games medal last week, before earning his second medal of the meet on Tuesday morning (Australian time).
His time of 53.75 earned him equal third place in the 100m backstroke, finishing behind England’s Chris Walker-Hebborn and Australian Mitch Larkin.
Beaver finished in a dead-heat with England’s Liam Tancock – with both receiving a bronze medal – and the result put Beaver’s name up in bright lights as he got to step onto the podium for his first international medal.
“It’s absolutely amazing, being a part of such a team in such a recognised event, competing for the green and gold is great,” Beaver said.
“I was shocked to be honest, I knew I had a chance but to actually do it (win a medal), was crazy.
“The event summary came up and I was fourth from the top, then realised I was equal third so it was special.”
He backed up his success in the 100m with a silver medal in the 200m backstroke on Tuesday morning (Australian time).
His time of 1.56.19 – earned him silver as part of an Australian hat-trick with Larkin (gold) and TigerSharks team mate Matson Lawson (bronze) also on the podium.
Beaver’s week at the Commonwealth Games started with a fifth place finish in the 50m backstroke in a time of 25.19 and he continued to blitz his personal bests in every event he swam.
He also earned a silver medal after participating in the 4x100m medley relay in the heats as Australia narrowly lost to England in the final.
“I came into the week just wanting to swim a PB (personal best) internationally as I hadn’t done it before and then at the staging camp I swam some quick times,” Beaver said.
“It really set me up for the week and most definitely this week’s experience and fast racing has put me in a good position.”
Beaver wanted to thank his Casey TigerSharks’ coach Ben Hiddlestone – who has been there guiding him for a decade in the pool – and was thrilled to be a part of the south eastern success at the games.
“It has been a massive thrill competing at the Commonwealth Games let alone medalling at my first major international meet; I couldn’t be any happier,” Beaver said.
“The TigerSharks’ club is really home for me – being there since day one – so to do it under them and especially Ben means the world to me.”
Cranbourne’s Mitch Pratt finished fifth in the 200m butterfly to round out the success for the stable of TigerSharks’ swimmers in Glasgow.
Beaver has also been selected for the medley relay heats, with the final to be swum today (Wednesday).
