Australian sprinting star James Magnussen announced that he will be returning to competition in the new year at the Victorian Open Championships.
The long course meet will run January 22-24 at the MSAC Outdoor Pool in Melbourne. Traditionally, this competition has attracted several top Australian competitors.
The Victorian Open Championships mark Magnussen’s first major competition since the 2015 World Championship trials held last April.
There, Mangussen won the 50m freestyle and finished second overall to Cameron McEvoy in the 100m freestyle in order to make the Australian World Championship team.
Magnussen withdrew from the world championship roster in May in order to undergo shoulder surgery for a nagging injury. In early June, Magnussen’s surgery took place and was a huge success.
One of Magnussen’s current coaches, Mitch Falvey, said stated that Magnussen got back in the water to begin training in late August.
His return to competition marks a huge stepping stone in the recovery process of the 2012 Olympic silver medallist.
Magnussen will likely have some stiff competition that will truly test his racing abilities. At last year’s meet, Magnussen won the 100m freestyle in 48.82 beating out Kenneth To, Ashley Delaney, and Tommaso D’Orsogna.
This meet will give the first indication of what kind of shape Magnussen is in heading towards the 2016 Australian Olympic Trials in April.
Might be an uphill battle with the scientist and chalmers coming on strong.
Media headlines and talk are one things; the actual physical “delivery” on that talk is another matter. We will not know if this surgery and rehab has been a “complete success” until he actually tests it in competition and is able to attain his former standards or close to.
Whilst McEvoy would appear to have one AUS qualifications spot secure; I would be somewhat cautionary about announcing Chalmers’ coronation. For all his promise, he has only been sub 48.5 “flat start” and his sub 48 relay legs have been flying start.
The round of State Championships over the AUS Summer and early spring should tell us a good deal on who’s tracking well and who’s not