World champions on short course centre stage in Sydney
Swimming Australia, November 23, 2015: Swimming’s big guns will take centre stage on the second day of finals at the Hancock Prospecting Australian Short Course Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
All eyes will be on the men’s and women’s 100m freestyle, the women’s 200m backstroke and men’s 50m backstroke tonight.
Dual world champion, Mitch Larkin was just 0.27 outside the Australian record and 0.46 off the Commonwealth record in his 50m backstroke heat this morning.
After a chat with coach Michael Bohl and some technical advice on his turn, Larkin will be chasing another medal and another record to add to his growing 2015 collection.
The world’s premier backstroker has gone from strength to strength, winning the 100 and 200m backstroke double at this year’s FINA World Championships before destroying the Australian and Commonwealth records at the FINA World Cup series.
But Larkin, fourth in the 50m in Kazan, will have to contend with Kazan bronze medallist and 50m specialist, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ben Treffers, who was the second fastest qualifier.
Before Larkin and Treffers go head-to-head, it will be the freestyle sister act Cate and Bronte Campbell who will do battle with Olympic and World relay gold medallists in the 100m freestyle.
Cate Campbell heads the qualifiers in 51.77 followed by Emma McKeon (52.39), Bronte Campbell (52.53) and Emily Seebohm (52.67).
Seebohm heads the finalists in the 200m backstroke in 2:03.77 from fellow World Championship silver medallist Madi Wilson (2:05.06) and London Olympian Belinda Hocking (2:05.54).
The men’s 100m freestyle sees defending champion, World Championship silver medallist and Pan Pac champion Cam McEvoy leading the pack in 46.78 – faster than his winning time from last year from Kenneth To (47.28) and Tommaso D’Orsogna (47.75).
Fourteen-year-old Tiffany Thomas-Kane collects first gold
Meanwhile in other events this morning, 14 year-old Tiffany Thomas-Kane (3:11.19) collected her first Australian short course title in the women’s 200m Multi Class individual medley. The Sydney local got the better of women's 200m IM field, beating Madeleine Scott (2:33.98) and Teigan Van Roosmalen (2:34.63) to take the win in front of a home crowd.
MLC Marlins swimmer Sean Russo was the eventual winner in the men’s Multi Class 200m individual medley final, picking up the win in a time of 2:12.70. The silver medal went to Matthew Levy (2:36.63) with Joshua Alford (2:19.18) third.
Team McKeon in the fast lane
David McKeon (3:42.49) clocked the fastest time from the heats of the men’s 400m freestyle ahead of a strong field in the 400m freestyle, with Thomas Fraser-Holmes (3:43.75) and Cam McEvoy (3:44.50) joining him in the top three, in search of the title tonight.
In the race immediately following David’s, sister Emma McKeon (25.78) then followed in her brother’s footsteps to qualify fastest for the women’s 50m butterfly in a time of 25.78.
Former world champion Marieke D'Cruz (25.88) moved through in second and Emma’s training partner Madeline Groves (26.06) was third.
The men's 50m breaststroke heats were a fight to the finish with the top ten qualifiers separated by less than a second. World Championship silver medallist from the medley relay Jake Packard was the quickest to the wall with a 27.13 ahead of Olympic silver medallist Christian Sprenger in 27.15 while Matthew Treloar (27.27) and Tommy Sucipto (27.27) were equal third.
South Australian Sally Hunter (1:05.07) was the fastest of the field in the women’s 100m breaststroke heats getting the better of Georgia Bohl (1:05.92) who will move through second with Sweden's Jennie Johansson (1:06.41) third. World Championship representatives Lorna Tonks (1:06.58) and Taylor McKeown (1:07.71) will also join them in the final, ranked fifth and eighth respectively.
West Australian Blair Evans proved she is in fine form taking out the heats of the women’s 400m individual medley this morning in a time of 4:36.34. Evans was over two seconds clear of her closest competitor Keryn McMaster (4:38.82) with Ellen Fullerton (4:40.12) rounding out the top three.
Southport Olympic swimmer Chris Wright was too strong in the men’s 200m butterfly heats, comfortably clocking the quickest time this morning with a 1:54.33. Sydney University’s Keiran Qaium (1:56.09) will progress in second with Grant Irvine (1:56.54) taking third place through to tonight’s final.
World Champion Ellie Cole on song
IPC World Champion Ellie Cole took top spot in the rankings following the heats of the women's 100m Multi Class freestyle in a speedy 1:01.90, followed by Lakeisha Patterson (1:08.05) and Taylor Corry (1:00.93) respectively.
With a bronze medal already to his name, Joshua Alford (53.76) will swim in two more finals tonight with a chance at a podium finish in both. Kicking off the heats session, Alford took out top spot in the heats of Men's 100m Multi Class Freestyle ahead of Grant Scooter Patterson (1:55.16) and Braedan Jason (53.55).
Alford will be looking for the sprint double when he then lines up for the men’s 50m Multi Class freestyle. Tim Antalfy will swim from lane four following his heat time of 24.49.with Josh Alford (24.98) in lane five and Braedan Jason (24.67) rounding out the top three.
Gold medallist from the 200m Multi Class individual medley Tiffany Thomas-Kane (36.70) found herself at the top once again this morning, ranked first after the heats in the 50m freestyle Multi Class. Madeleine Scott (29.19) is ranked second with Taylor Corry (27.95) third.
Finals will commence from 6:00pm AEDST.
LIVE STREAMING will be available via the Australian Swim Team YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLzqQ_o5w8RIyKISU3st2IQ
Issued on behalf of Swimming Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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