Birthday girl Cate takes the cake with chart topper in Japan

  

Swimming Australia, May 22 2016: Cate Campbell has wasted no time reinforcing her presence at the top of the 100m freestyle world rankings with another chart-topping performance in Japan tonight.

Campbell was first to touch the wall in 52.38secs at the Japan Open Meet – the same time she swam five weeks ago to win the Australian title in Adelaide – the equal fastest time in the world for 2016.

It was a fitting 24^th birthday present for the 2013 world champion, who has bounced back to her best after shoulder surgery hampered her 2015 campaign.

Campbell’s 22-year-old sister Bronte, the 2015 world champion, was the third swimmer to touch the wall in 54.11 with Japan’s Rikako Ikee the fastest of the Japanese swimmers in 53.98.

The world record of 52.07, set by Germany’s Britta Steffen in 2009, was under siege when Campbell tumbled in 25.09 – well under the world record split of 25.46.

Meanwhile triple Australian champion Cam McEvoy clocked the fastest 100 metres freestyle time in the final, stopping the clock at 48.17 with two-time world champion James Magnussen third in 48.75.

Dual and soon to be triple Olympian Belinda Hocking also continued her brilliant form that saw her win the 200m backstroke in Adelaide with an impressive win in that event in 2:10.58.

Her Nunawading teammate and fellow Rio Olympian Josh Beaver was second in the men’s 200m backstroke in 1:57.30.

Miami's Dan Smith clocked 3:48.25 (1:52.14) the second fastest time in the men’s 400m freestyle final while Rio rookies Leah Neale (4:09.98) and Tamsin Cook (4:12.16) touched the wall in second and fourth place respectively in the corresponding women’s event.

DAY ONE WRAP: McEvoy wins thrilling 200m freestyle shootout in Japan

Swimming’s man of the moment Cam McEvoy has won a thrilling 200m freestyle shootout with Japan’s “rising son” Kousuke Hagino at the Japan Open in Tokyo tonight.

Just a month after his historic 50,100 and 200m freestyle treble at the Hancock Prospecting Australian Championships to rocket his way on to the Rio Olympic team, the recently turned 22-year-old McEvoy has come from behind to edge out Hagino on the wall.

After trailing down the first 50 metres McEvoy turned it on down the second lap to edge in front of the 2014 Male Swimmer of the Year and a red-hot field of Japanese swimmers and fellow Australian Olympic team member Dan Smith.

Hagino came at McEvoy again on the final 50m but it was McEvoy who withstood the challenge to beat the former world ranked number one by 0.02.

McEvoy stopped the clock at 1:46.41 to Hagino’s 1:46.43 with Japan’s Naito Ehara (1:46.96) third and Smith fourth to touch the wall in 1:47.61.

The Japanese tried to unsettle McEvoy (25.02) who was fourth at the first turn behind Japanese trio Hagino (24.61), Yuuki Kobori (24.99) and Ehara (25.00).

Hagino, the 21-year-old from Tochigi, is one of the biggest names in swimming in Japan and will be one of McEvoy’s major opponents in this event in Rio.

McEvoy now faces a major test on day two when he lines up in the 100 and 400 metres freestyle double as he prepares to take on a busy eight-day Olympic program at the Olympics.

In other events tonight:

-                Australia’s Taylor McKeown (1:07.48) touched the wall in second in the 100m breaststroke.

-                Fellow Olympic team backstrokers and Nunawading pair Josh Beaver (54.99) and Belinda Hocking (1:00.90) were third home in their respective 100m backstroke

-                WA's Olympic team rookie Tamsin Cook clocked the fastest time of the day in the women’s 800m free 8:36.76 while;

-                USC Spartan’s Olympic team 4x200m freestyler Leah Neale clocked the second fastest time in the 200m free final of 1:58.60.