Dolphins commence world championship training in Bendigo

The country's national swimming team are training at Kangaroo Flat's Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre ahead of next week's World Short Course Championships.

Starting on Wednesday the team, which includes Bendigo's own Jenna Strauch, will be in the water preparing for the championships with the public welcome to attend.

The centre will be open for the public to watch the sessions from 7am-9am on December 7, 8, 9 and 10, as well as a 3.30pm-5.30pm session on December 9. At the completion of the camp on Saturday, December 10, a signing session will be held with the Dolphins' squad from 11am until midday.

The Dolphins squad includes eight Olympic gold medalists - Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown, Mack Horton, Kyle Chalmers, Madi Wilson, Meg Harris, Chelsea Hodges and Mollie O'Callaghan.

Related: Back where it began: Strauch savours return to Bendigo

Swimming Australia high Performance director Tamara Sheppard said the entire team was thrilled to share their training journey with the regional Victoria community.

"The opportunity to represent your country on home soil is rare in swimming and we wanted to ensure we took the chance to involve our passionate swimming family in regional Victoria as part of this experience," Sheppard said.

"It's a quality facility in Bendigo and I'm sure we will be warmly embraced so I know our athletes will appreciate the ability to finalise their preparations in such an environment."

In the lead-up to training Jenna Strauch made the trip back to where her swimming journey began.

Strauch spent Monday afternoon at the Bendigo East Swimming Club helping coach the next generation of athletes.

BESC president Kris Ellery said it was a motivating experience for the club's juniors.

"The students were so excited to meet an Olympian and Dolphin in person," she said.

"For them to meet an old BESC member that is now succeeding on the international stage is a life changing experience.

"We thank Jenna for taking out the time in her extraordinarily busy schedule to spend time with our young swimmers."

Strauch represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympics, won two silver medals at this year's world championships and backed-up with another silver medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

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