Mitch Larkin on course to emulate hero Welsh in 100M backstroke
Swimming Australia, August 2, 2015: Australia may soon have a new men's backstroke legend with Mitch Larkin looking to emulate the achievements of his childhood idol Matt Welsh.
Larkin will be chasing back-to-back titles in the 100m backstroke from both the World Short Course and World Long Course Championships when he lines up in tomorrow night's FINA World Championship final in Kazan.
And while all eyes will be on Larkin in the men's final while the Australian girls Emily Seebohm and Madi Wilson will be front and centre in the women's 100m backstroke women's final. (See story below).
After setting a new Australian and Commonwealth record in the heats with a blistering 52.50, Larkin lowered that mark once again in the semi-finals hitting the wall in a 52.38 to take the top spot through to the final tomorrow night in a highly competitive field.
Despite the strength of the field, that includes, six-time Olympic medallist Matt Grevers, and fellow Olympians Camille Lacourt and Ryosuke Irie, an in form Larkin looked calm and in control to finish half a body length ahead in his semi-final.
Welsh won gold at the long course world championships in Fukuoka in 2001 and the short course in Moscow in 2002.
It was at the 2002 World Short Course Championships that Welsh completed the long-course, short-course double. Fast-forward 13 years and we're back in Russia with Larkin on track to follow in his idol's footsteps.
It was a night for the next generation of Dolphins to step up and announce their arrival on the world stage, with London Olympians Larkin, Seebohm and freestyle-butterflyer Emma McKeon and Cam McEvoy joined by breaststroke debutant Jake Packard, and backstroker Wilson.
Packard completed a trifecta of personal best times from the heats, semi-finals and into the final of the men's 100m breaststroke, finishing with a time of 59.44 to exceed expectations and take fifth place overall and was just 0.33 outside the podium positions.
The Sunshine Coast swimmer almost gave swimming away two years ago but belief from his current coach Chris Mooney and former coach Brian Stehr saw him give it another crack.
The gold medal went to Great Britain's Adam Peaty (58.52) who powered over the of Olympic champion, South Africa's Cameron Van Der Burgh (58.59) with Peaty's teammate Ross Murdoch (59.09) taking the bronze.
Also stamping herself as one to watch, St Peters Western swimmer Emma McKeon (57.67) held her own in the women's 100m butterfly final, finishing fourth overall behind eventual winner Sarah Sjostrom in a new world record time of 55.64 – in her first individual world championship final.
Slice of history awaits Seebohm and Wilson
There could also be a slice of history awaiting Emily Seebohm and Madi Wilson when they line up in the 100m backstroke final – an event Australia has never won since the world championships began in 1973 in Belgrade.
Seebohm, the fastest qualifier in 58.56, has silver (2013) and bronze (2009) in her vast medal collection while Wilson, the third fastest into the final in 59.05, will be lining up in her first world championship final.
Standing between the two in form Dolphins will be defending champion and Olympic champion Missy Franklin (USA) and Denmark's fast finishing Mie Oe Neilsen.
Seebohm, who dislocated her knee cap in a horse riding accident two months ago and who has been with new coach David Lush for onyl a couple of months has overcome the odds to take top spot into the final tomorrow.
It was also a brave performance by Wilson, who split the webbing in her finger in the warm up when she swam into another swimmer.
"I had to cut my warm-up short after swimming into another swimmer's ankle and splitting my webbing," said the bubbly Wilson, who is having a great meet.
"I'm not really worried and I am so happy to be swimming this fast and I cant wait to swim tomorrow night."
Cam McEvoy eyes off the 200m freestyle final
Meanwhile Australian Champion in the men's 200m freestyle Cam McEvoy will be searching for a spot on the podium in the final tomorrow night after finishing third overall following tonight's helter-skelter semi-finals.'
The Bond University science student finished with a silver medal in this event from the Commonwealth Games and a bronze from the Pan Pacific Championships in 2014 and could walk away with a world championship medal tomorrow night.
Swimming at his second World Championships at just 21-years-of-age, McEvoy who clocked a 1:46.09 in the semis, will need to swim close to his best to get the better of a strong field that includes fastest qualifier and 11-time Olympic medallist Ryan Lochte (1:45.36) and Olympic Champions Chad Le Clos (1:46.10) and Sun Yang (1:46.17).
Chandler's David McKeon was unable to progress from the semis after stopping the clock at 1:47.60 in the semi-finals to finish in 13th place overall.
Australian Medal Tally
Gold: 1
Silver: 0
Bronze: 1
New Australian Records:
Women’s 400m freestyle: 4:03.34 – Jessica Ashwood, Women’s 1500m freestyle: 15:56.52 – Jessica Ashwood, Men’s 100m backstroke: 52.38 – Mitch Larkin (Commonwealth Record)
The heats will continue tomorrow morning from 9:30am local time and will be available LIVE on 7TWO and 7swimming.com.au from 4:30pm AEST. The finals will be also be replayed on the seven network prior to the heats, check your local guides for details.
For more information on the event go to www.fina.org.au
To access images from the 2015 FINA World Championships please follow this link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/j6pc6moaou3paq3/AABTt9rb6ABWakxlIjac2tZna?dl=0 – all image credit to Swimming Australia Ltd.
Issued on behalf of Swimming Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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