Front, from left, Tyson Lawes and Cameron DeKok are making waves in Victorian swimming, much to the pleasure of, back, Haileybury Waterlions head coach Wayne Lawes.By Marc McGowan
BERWICK’S Cameron DeKok and Narre Warren North’s Tyson Lawes have well and truly caught the swimming bug and intend on making a big splash in the sport.
The pair joined fellow 12-year-olds Harrison Baker and Owen Smith to win the silver medal in the 4 x 50-metre freestyle relay at last month’s Victorian Long Course Swimming Championships.
It was the first medal either of the Haileybury Waterlions products had recorded at state level and provided a huge buzz for the youngsters.
Cameron, who was making his debut at the championships, described it as very exciting.
“I kind of knew we could do it because we qualified third just behind another team,” he said.
Tyson was just as delighted, but not quite as confident.
“It was great; I wasn’t expecting that,” he said. “Winning medals is the greatest feeling.”
The duo’s friendship has prospered since linking up in Amanda Norton’s junior squad at Haileybury’s Keysborough headquarters – much like their swimming.
They both have plans on making the transition to the state squad in the near future and ultimately the national squad.
Cameron said Amanda was ‘really good’.
“She helps you out a lot in how to improve your technique. Hopefully, by halfway through this year, I’ll be able to move into the state squad,” he said.
Tyson has similar sentiments and believed he would be able to handle the extra workload.
“They just assess you and if they reckon you’re good enough to get up to that level then they let you in,” the Year-7 student said.
“It’ll mean training six times a week, which will be hard at the start, but I’ll get used to it.”
That is where their similarities end.
Cameron is seeking a world championship in the backstroke, whereas Tyson wants to stroke his way to gold in the freestyle.
Judging by their personal-best slashing performances at the state championships, both children are well on their way.
“I’m hoping to be an Olympic, Commonwealth and world champion,” Cameron said.
“To get to that level I need to first get to the age nationals and just work my way up from there.”
Typically, Tyson is a little more reserved with his ambitions, but is nevertheless aiming high.
“I’d love to represent Australia,” he said.
They could do worse than draw on the feats of their idols that include Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Michael Klim.
Wayne Lawes, who is Tyson’s father and the head coach of the national squad at Keysborough, is proud of his son’s achievements, but said he just wanted him to enjoy the sport.
“At the end of the day, I have to be a dad. That’s more important than being a coach,” he said.
“I’m thrilled, but the most important thing is that he’s enjoying it.
“He shows a lot of potential, but I want to hone in on that later. If that’s what he wants to do he has to want to do it for himself – not for me.”
Lawes is also impressed with Cameron’s swimming talent.
“He’s coming along in the right vain. He shows a lot of potential and he has a great work ethic at training,” he said.
The next time they are struggling through an 800-metre time trial or a 400-metre individual medley at training, the boys just need to remember Lawes’ philosophy.
“He just tells us how the national swimmers got up there and how they train and how they go for it,” Cameron said.
In other words, plenty of hard work and dedication.
