SWIMMING
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As the Commonwealth Games swimming team ramps up preparations for Glasgow, Wollongong open water swimmer Jarrod Poort has his sights firmly set on a second Olympics berth - in Rio de Janeiro.
He snared a place at the 2012 London Games after qualifying in the 1500m but is now making his mark in longer distances races.
After winning a World Cup event in Portugal on Sunday in chilly temperatures and rough conditions against a field including Olympic medallists, Poort's focus turns to the Pan Pacific championships on the Gold Coast on August 25.
Coach Ron McKeon declared that earning a place in the 10 kilometre Olympic event was the ultimate goal.
"Absolutely, there's no doubt that's on the radar," he said.
"It was a really mature swim by Jarrod in Portugal in very challenging conditions ... the water temperature ranged between 16 and 19 degrees and it was the strongest field in an open water event this year.
"In the past 12 months he's really grown and gained some valuable experience and a lot of discipline, but he's still several years younger than some of his competitors."
The qualification process for the Rio Olympics begins next year.
He hit the gate in one hour 52.06 minutes, just ahead of Brazil's Allan do Carmo, with Olympic and world championships silver medallist Thomas Lurz third.
Two years ago, during his Higher School Certificate studies, Poort narrowly missed out on an Olympics A-qualifier spot for London in the 1500m but was invited to compete anyway.
He was unable to produce his personal best form in the heats and bowed out but the Olympic experience spurred him on in his preferred open water event.
As a 17-year-old Poort finished second in the Olympic distance of 10km, behind ironman champion Ky Hurst.
However, open water events are not part of the Commonwealth Games program.
Poort's former training partners Emma and Dave McKeon - now based in Brisbane - are in France putting the finishing touches to their Games preparations.
Competing at the French Open, the McKeon siblings head to an Australian training camp in Manchester before the Glasgow Games.
McKeon, 21, announced himself as Australia's leading 400m freestyle medal hope by claiming a third straight national title, winning in three minutes and 43.72 seconds.
That same night, Emma clocked a national record in the women's 200m freestyle final to defy Olympic bronze medallist Bronte Barratt.