Graham Croker
Sydney University’s world 50m short course butterfly champion Matt Jaukovic is heading to the FINA World Cup finale in Berlin this weekend with a big pay cheque on offer.
Since setting the world 50m short course butterfly mark at 22.50s in the Sydney leg of the World Cup last month, the 22-year old economics-law student has won the Singapore, Moscow and Stockholm legs.
A win in the final leg in Berlin has him in contention for the World Cup winner’s prize of $US100,000, to go with the $US10,000 he earned for setting the new world record in Sydney.
Stockholm was a fruitful meet for the Sydney University Sports Scholarship holder. He won the 50m butterfly final on the first night with a swim of 22.85, ahead of Russia’s Evgeny Korotyshkin (23.04) and Frenchman Frederick Bousquet (23.06).
On the final night of the meet Jaukovic produced a great swim to finish second in the 100m butterfly final, clocking a personal best of 50.31 – just behind Korotyshkin (50.22) and ahead of Russian Nikolay Skvortsov (50.84).
Jaukovic was just 0.21s off Adam Pine’s Australian record which could well be under siege again in Berlin.
Born in Montenegro in 1985, Jaukovic came to Australia three years ago to study at the University of Sydney and train under the watchful eye of the University’s head swimming coach Steve Alderman.
Jaukovic, who swam for his native country as a junior before coming to study in Sydney, said his ultimate goal is to represent Australia at the Olympic Games.
“There is a lot coming up over the next few years with World Championships and Commonwealth Games,” he said.
“It’s going to be different now. That’s because before (the world record) I was an underdog and now people are going to be after me. That is a different perspective but I think I can handle it.”
He has been to date.
