Larkin looking for last laugh after sizzling semi-final

 

Swimming Australia, November 6, 2014: The opening night of the 2014 Australian Short Course Championships, at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre in Adelaide, set the standard for the week when Mitch Larkin recorded a new Australian and Commonwealth short course record in the men’s 100m backstroke semi-final, stopping the clock just half a second off the short course world record (48.94).

Larkin’s time of 49.44 eclipsed the previous record of 49.92 set by Bobby Hurley in 2013 and adds to the list of impressive results from the 21-year-old this year.
 
The St Peters Western swimmer now holds the backstroke record double after last month setting an Australian short course record in the 200m backstroke at the FINA World Cup in Beijing. 
 
With six international medals to his name from the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs combined, Larkin has had a breakout year and with the final of the 100m backstroke still to come, he will no doubt be looking to continue his run of success for the remainder of the meet.
 
The first event of the evening, the men’s 200m freestyle, was also a show stopper with the top six finishers all hitting the wall under the World Short Course qualifying time of 1:44.84.

Ashley Delaney and Ben Treffers finished equal second in 52.20 and Bobby Jovanovich was next in 52.51, setting up a tight race for a place on the podium tomorrow night.
 
With the long course title to his name from April this year, Cameron McEvoy added the short course title to his tally, picking up the gold in a time of 1:43.09.

Coming in second was Chandler’s David McKeon in 1:43.43, just getting the better of Miami swimmer Dan Smith a touch behind in 1:43.50.
 
Youth Olympic medallist Brianna Throssell once again impressed in the women’s 200m butterfly final, picking up the gold medal in a time of 2:04.73 to finish over four seconds clear of the rest of the field.

The silver medal went to Jordan White in 2:08.88 with University of NSW swimmer Nicole Mee third in 2:09.85.
 
The final of the women’s 400m individual medley saw Keryn McMaster and Ellen Fullerton in a fight for first place. It was McMaster who eventually stole the win and short course title in a time of 4:29.24 with Fullerton settling for silver in 4:31.15. The bronze medal went to Jessica Pengelly in 4:37.06.

Short Course Champions so far...
Men's 800m Freestyle: Matt Levings 7:46.96
Men's Multi Class 400m Freestyle: Rowan Crothers (WR) 4:06.26
Men's 200m Freestyle: Cameron McEvoy 1:43.09
Women's 200m Butterfly: Brianna Throssell 2:04.73
Men’s 50m Breaststroke Multi Class: Tim Disken 32.82
Women’s 50m Breaststroke Multi Class: Madeleine Scott 36.81

Coming up tomorrow:
Look out for the fastest men and women in the pool with the heats of the women's 100m freestyle and the men's 50m freestyle tomorrow morning.

With the absence of Cate Campbell, a new short course sprint queen will be crowned in the women’s 50m freestyle with Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Brittany Elmslie all in the running for the title. Bronte will be the one to beat but McKeon and Elmslie have been rising through the ranks and their recent form suggests a close race for first place.

While Cam McEvoy will be looking to add to his 200m short course crown when he takes on the heats of the 100m freestyle tomorrow morning.

In semi-finals action...

Women’s 50m Breaststroke semi-final
Defending champion Leiston Pickett will go through to the final of the women’s 50m breaststroke as the fastest qualifier after hitting the wall in a time of 30.21 in the semi-finals tonight.

St Peters Western swimmer Georgia Bohl was second fastest in 30.32 with South Australian local Sally Hunter (30.55) and Lorna Tonks (30.58) also progressing and in with a shot at the podium tomorrow night.
 
Men’s 100m Breaststroke semi-final
Pan Pacs representative Jake Packard was the only swimmer to dip under the world short course qualification time in the semi-final of the men’s 100m backstroke. Packard took top spot through to the final in 58.07 with West Australian Tommy Sucipto not far off the mark, finishing second fastest in 58.85 with Joshua Palmer rounding out the top three in 59.55.
 
Women’s 100m Backstroke semi-final
Following on from the impressive results in the men’s backstroke, the semi-final of the women’s backstroke didn’t disappoint with a fantastic swim from St Peters Western swimmer Madi Wilson.

Wilson stopped the clock at 56.75, just shy of Emily Seebohm’s Australian short course record of 56.58, to go through as the one to beat tomorrow night. Seebohm will take lane five after clocking a 57.36 with Hayley Baker the third fastest through in 57.54.
 
Men’s 100m Butterfly semi-final
The men’s 100m butterfly final will see Jayden Hadler (50.93), Tommaso D’Orsogna (51.07) and Nathaniel Romeo (51.40) move through to the final tomorrow night as the fastest qualifiers with all three needing to increase the pace for a chance at selection for the short course world championships.

Stay up to date online with information and results at http://www.swimming.org.au and with the hashtag #AUSSC

Issued on behalf of Swimming Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager 2014 Australian Swim Team, World Short Course Championships, Doha

Deputy Media Manager 2016 Australian Olympic Team, Rio
Media Manager, Surf Sports, SLSA
Media Manager Triathlon Australia
Media Manager 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
Media Manager, 2014 Australian Commonwealth Games Team