Jess Ashwood chasing Japan Open double in 400m freestyle
Swimming Australia, May 23, 2015: Brisbane's London Olympian Jessica Ashwood, who has already won the 800 metres freestyle, will be chasing her second gold medal of the Japan Open Swim Meet in Tokyo tonight.
Ashwood is one of three Australians who have lodged the fastest qualifying times on day two at the Tatsumi International Pool.
The 22-year-old from Michael Bohl’s St Peters Western Podium Centre, showed all her class to win the 800m freestyle in 8:31.85 and today backed up to clock 4:11.71 to take lane four in tonight’s 400m freestyle final.
Fellow Fina World Championship Dolphins team mates Emma McKeon (55.17 in the 100m freestyle) and her brother David McKeon (3:52.45 in the 400m freestyle) are also the leading qualifiers from today’s heats.
Emma McKeon led from start to finish to take gold in he 200m freestyle on night one in 1:56.79 while David finished third in the men’s 200m freestyle in 1:47.94.
Among Australia’s other qualifiers for tonight’s finals (5pm AEST) are: Keryn McMaster (400IM), Emma McKeon (50m butterfly), Georgia Bohl and Jessica Hansen (50m breaststroke), Tommy Sucipto (50m breaststroke), Matson Lawson (200m backstroke), Ami Matsuo (100m freestyle) and Regan Leong (100m freestyle).
There were further medals last night for Nunawading’s Jessica Hansen who won silver in the 100m breaststroke in a time of 1:07.53 - just 0.01 outside her personal best swum in the heat, only hours before.
Georgia Bohl was seventh in 1:07.98.
And in solid showings Kurt Herzog (1:48.45) and Regan Leong (1:48.83) were fourth and fifth respectively in a hotly contested 200m freestyle final while
Matsuo finished fourth in the women’s 200m freestyle in 1:59.43.
Issued on behalf of Swimming Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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