CHINA, SOUTH AFRICA NAME SWIM TEAMS FOR BHP BILLITON AQUATIC SUPER SERIES

PERTH, Australia, RENANG INDONESIA, December 12. CHINESE Olympic gold medallists Ye Shiwen and Jiao Liuyang, and South African giant killer Chad le Clos, will headline the Chinese and South African swim teams at the inaugural BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series in Perth this January 18-19.

Set to compete against the EnergyAustralia Swim Team over two nights of elite competition in a revamped outdoor pool at Perth's Challenge Stadium, the Chinese and South African teams are full of experience and talent in this the first year of the event.

Sixteen-year-old Ye Shiwen won two gold medals in London, including defeating Australian golden girl Alicia Coutts in the women's 200m IM, while Jiao Liuyang was a gold medallist in the 200m butterfly. 

Fellow butterfly swimmer Chad le Clos from Durban in South Africa shocked the world when he defeated American great Michael Phelps in his pet event, the 200m fly by just 0.01 of a second, as well as going on to win silver in the 100m fly.

With talented Olympians across all three swim teams, Swimming Australia Head Coach Leigh Nugent said the EnergyAustralia Swim Team is looking forward to some tough competition to start 2013 on the right track.

"The BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series is a fantastic opportunity for our athletes to race, and to race world-class opposition," said Nugent.

"It's been four years since we've had the chance to compete in a home pool for Australia, and many of our athletes can't wait to get to Perth to compete."

"The Chinese are always strong and with 18 members of their Olympic team heading to Perth both our men and women will have plenty to swim for."

"From a South African point of view, they have also been very strong over the shorter distances and someone like Chad le Clos is able to back up and race well across a variety of events."

The swimming component of the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series will consist of two pool sessions over two nights on Friday 18 January and Saturday 19 January, with athletes vying for points and prize money on each individual race, as well as an overall team score.

For tickets go to www.ticketmaster.com.au and for information on the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series go to www.aquaticsuperseries.com.au

The BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series is proudly supported by naming rights sponsor BHP Billiton and the Western Australian State Government through Eventscorp and Royalties for Regions.

EnergyAustralia Swim Team:
The EnergyAustralia Swim Team has a proud history of success at all major international competitions and swimming is our most successful Olympic sport. In Athens in 2004, Australia won seven gold medals in the pool and backed that up again in Beijing in 2008 with a further six gold. At the most recent Olympic Games in London, Australia won ten medals in the pool with the women's 4x100m freestyle relay team picking up gold.
MEN: Daniel Arnamnart (NSW), Ashley Delaney (VIC), Thomas Fraser-Holmes (QLD), Jayden Hadler (NSW), Mitchell Larkin (QLD), James Magnussen (NSW), David McKeon (NSW), Kenrick Monk (QLD), Ryan Napoleon (QLD), Brenton Rickard (QLD), James Roberts (QLD), Christian Sprenger (QLD), Matthew Targett (VIC), Daniel Tranter (NSW), Chris Wright (QLD)
WOMEN: Bronte Barratt (QLD), Cate Campbell (QLD), Bronte Campbell (QLD), Alicia Coutts (QLD), Blair Evans (WA), Sally Foster (SA), Samantha Hamill (QLD), Belinda Hocking (VIC), Sarah Katsoulis (VIC), Yolane Kukla (QLD), Meagen Nay (QLD), Kylie Palmer (QLD), Leiston Pickett (QLD), Melanie Schlanger (QLD), Emily Seebohm (QLD)

People's Republic of China Swim Team:
A clear swimming superpower, China won 10 swimming medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games, including five gold, two of which went to 16-year-old Ye Shiwen. At the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai the People's Republic of China Swim Team won 15 medals, second only to the USA on 17. With four current individual world record holders, and a host of young talent spurred on by recent success, China will provide outstanding opposition for the EnergyAustralia Swim Team and South Africa at the 2013 BHP Aquatic Super Series.

MEN: Cheng Feiyi, Li Xiayan, Zhou Jiawei, Lv Zhiwu, Xu Jiayu, Huang Yunkun, Chen Yin, Liu Weija, Shi Tengfei, Hao Yun, Li Yunqi, Dai Jun, Shi Yang
WOMEN: Zhao Jing, Zhao Jin, Lu Ying, Tang Yi, Fu Yuanhui, He Yun, Jiao Liuyang, Liu Zige, Xu Danlu, Shao Yiwen, Ye Shiwen, Bai Anqi, Yao Yige, Pang Jiaying, Wang Haibing, Chen Xinyi

South African Swim Team:
The winner of two gold medals at the London Olympic Games, South Africa has a proud history in the sport with names such as Penny Heynes, Roland Schoeman, Jonty Skinner, Cameron Van Der Burgh and now Chad Le Clos setting the standard. In 2012, Chad Le Clos became a household name when he defeated Michael Phelps for gold in the men's 200m butterfly at the London Olympics while Cameron Van Der Burgh won gold in the world record time in the men's 100m breaststroke.

MEN: Alaric Basson, Devon Brown, Bryon Doyle, Calvyn Justus, Charl Crous, Chad Le Clos, Darren Murray, Roland Schoeman, Leith Shankland, Aryton Sweeney, Garth Tune, Neil Versfeld, Jan Petrus Van Der Merwe, Giulio Zorzi
WOMEN: Jessica Ashley-Cooper, Marne Erasmus, Kelly Gunnel, Lehesta Kemp, Trudi Maree, Vanessa Mohr, Tara-Lynn Nicholas, Jessica Pengelly, Kyna Pereira, Karin Prinsloo, Marlies Ross, Suzaan Van Biljon, Nathania Van Niekerk, Rene Warnes, Michelle Weber