Atherton sets world junior standard with top time in Singapore
Swimming Australia, August 25, 2015:
The Australian Junior Swim team started its Singapore World Championships campaign in style on the first morning with a junior world record to Brisbane backstroker Minna Atherton.
There were also eight personal best times with seven individual swimmers, and two relay teams progressing through to the finals tonight.
Rising stars from around the world commenced racing today at the 2015 FINA World Junior Championships in Singapore. The OCBC Aquatic Centre will see a total of 686 athletes from 88 different federations unite for the chance to be crowned World Junior Champion this week
At just 15-years-of-age it was Atherton who proved her potential and set the standard in the heats of the girl’s 100m backstroke with a new World Junior record to her name.
Atherton continued Australia’s recent run of success in the backstroke events on the world stage to set a new World Junior record of 59.83.
Atherton looked comfortable through the first 50 metres, leading at the turn and then extended her lead in the last lap to touch in the new world record time.
After finishing fourth in this event at the Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships in April, Atherton’s time this morning would have been quick enough to take the Australian title earlier this year.
The Brisbane Grammar swimmer, who now trains alongside dual backstroke World Champion Emily Seebohm with coach David Lush in Queensland, had never gone sub-one-minute for the 100 back prior to this meet, but made breaking the minute-mark look easy this morning.
“That felt good. I just took it out quite easy and then came home as hard as I could. I’ve been training with Emily (Seebohm) a bit and had the chance to race her so that’s helping too,” Atherton said.
Fellow Australian Lucy McJannett finished 12th in 1:02.01 but will not contest the semi-finals with her focus shifting to the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
In other events…
Boy’s 400m Freestyle
The boy’s 400m freestyle was the first event on the schedule in Singapore with Joshua Parrish and Damian Fyfe the first Australian athletes in the water this week. Swimming in the final heat Parrish knew what it would take to make the final and kept his cool, to swim a controlled race that was fast enough to move through in fourth place for the final tonight.
His teammate Fyfe took his heat out hard, turning first at the 100 and 200 metre mark but couldn’t quite hold on and will finish in 16th place overall.
Girl’s 50m Breaststroke
South Australian Ella Bond and Queensland’s Calypso Sheridan both impressed in their heats of the girl’s 50m breaststroke with the pair setting new personal best times and progressing through to the semi-finals in seventh and 16th respectively. Bond took out her heat in a time of 32.15 with Sheridan clocking a 32.73, knocking almost two seconds off her previous best time.
Boy’s 100m Backstroke
The boy’s 100m backstroke was a competitive field with the Championship record falling twice in the heats and eventually going to the USA’s Michael Taylor in 54.74. Queensland swimmer Clyde Lewis put together an impressive heat swim and will move into the semi-finals as sixth fastest with a time of 55.36, a new personal best for the 17-year-old. Fellow Queenslander Tristan Ludlow stopped the clock at 56.37 to finish in 20th place overall.
Girl’s 400m Individual Medley
After successfully moving through to the semi-finals in the girl’s 50m breaststroke in a personal best time earlier this morning, Calypso Sheridan was back in the water just two events later, this time for the girl’s 400m individual medley. Sheridan continued her fine form to finish her heat in a time of 4:51.60, once again dipping under her previous best time in the event. The Brisbane Grammar swimmer finished 13th overall but keep your eyes on this talented teen who has three events still to come this week.
Boy’s 100m Breaststroke
Australian Age group record holder in this event Matthew Wilson put together a strong morning swim in the boy’s 100m breaststroke, clocking a 1:01.55 to set a new personal best time and qualify fourth fastest for the semi-final tonight.
“That felt pretty easy so I’ll be looking to drop some time again tonight in the semis,” Wilson said.
Wilson’s teammate Grayson Bell, who finished sixth at the 2015 Australian Swimming Championships in this event, will also progress, in seventh spot with a 1:02.33.
Boy’s 4x100m Freestyle
The boy’s 4x100m freestyle relay team of Jack Cartwright, Vincent Dai, Brayden McCarthy and Kyle Chalmers will contest the final tonight ranked third overall with a time of 3:20.10. They will be in the mix for a medal with the top ranked USA (3:17.84) and Italy (3:19.35) the ones to beat.
Girl’s 4x200m Freestyle
The girl’s 4x200m freestyle relay team of Gemma Cooney, Ariarne Titmus, Mikayla Messer and Tamsin Cook took out their heat in a time of 8:07.14 to progress as the fourth fastest qualifiers for the final tonight. West Australian Cook came from behind in the last leg, recording an impressive 1:58.85 split to give the Aussie girl’s the lead and will no doubt be looking to turn it up again tonight in the final.
Finals will commence at 6:00pm Singapore time, 8:00pm AEST at the OCBC Aquatic Centre with live streaming available at http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/fina/swimming/index.html
Swimming Australia would like to recognise and thank the ACGA for the support provided for our Youth Development programs.
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