D'Orsogna ready to skin rivals
He has the name of an Italian sausage king.
Yet Tommaso D'Orsogna could easily have had an affinity with haggis. That is, when he isn't striving to win medals for Australia.
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow give D'Orsogna another chance to represent his country.
But they also allow the 23-year-old the opportunity to trace the roots of the other half of his family.
While the D'Orsogna dynasty is revered in WA for the smallgoods empire built by his grandfather and namesake, the very Scottish title of McLarty, from his mother's side, completes his genealogical heritage.
The motto of the McLarty clan is "son of a leader" - befitting D'Orsogna, whose maternal great-grandfather was Sir Ross McLarty, a former WA premier.
"I suppose that line is quite appropriate when you look at my background," D'Orsogna said.
"While I obviously know a great deal about the D'Orsogna line and I carry my grand- father's name, we don't have too much information on the McLarty history so I'm looking at doing a bit more investigation while I'm in Glasgow."
Firstly, D'Orsogna has plenty of work to do in the Tollcross International Swimming Centre by competing in the 50m and 100m butterfly, 100m free- style, and depending on performances in his earlier events, the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays.
Like the McLarty rally cry, D'Orsogna will also be required to lead.
Two years ago D'Orsogna was involved in the out-of-pool high jinks that cast Australian swimming in a poor light at the London Olympics. To his credit it was D'Orsogna who quickly put up his hand to take some of the blame for the activities.
And D'Orsogna accepts he now has a role to play in re-installing public confidence in the pool program in Glasgow. The former Christ Church school prefect is also on the swimming executive, working under former star Daniel Kowalski to improve conditions for aquatic athletes.
"I enjoy the leadership roles," said D'Orsogna, who combines his swimming career with his studies in neuro- science.
"A lot has changed in Australian swimming since London. Our new president (America's Cup winner) John Bertrand has been very involved in the sport and his advice has been outstanding.
"The fresh blood has brought a more positive feel to Australian swimming."
D'Orsogna has a refreshed outlook on his career, too, following a move from the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra to Brisbane to train under Simon Cusack and alongside top performers Christian Sprenger and Bronte and Cate Campbell.
With the new attitude and the benefits of what he believes is Cusack's ability to bring out the best in his charges, D'Orsogna is targeting success in Glasgow.
However, while it is important to shine at the Commonwealth Games, D'Orsogna's main target is the 2016 Olympics.
"For swimmers just about everything is a lead-up to an Olympics," he said.
"But the Commonwealth Games provides a lot of very high-level racing. It becomes a very important event to us."
And if D'Orsogna is successful it could lead to higher honours in Rio.
