2017 Aussie SC C’ships Day 2 Prelims Recap: Women’s 50 Will Be Lit

2017 AUSTRALIAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day 1 of the 2017 Australian Short Course Championships already set the stage for the caliber of swimming present in Adelaide, as sprinter Cate Campbell raced her way to a new 100m freestyle world record. 2016 Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers also made his return to elite racing after taking time off to tend to his SVT heard condition, which rendered the 19-year-old out of this summer’s World Championships. The 19-year-old claimed the 100m freestyle title in his home pool last night.

Highlights of Day 2 Prelims

Both swimmers were back in the pool again on day 2 during this morning’s prelims, with C1 taking on the 50m freestyle and Chalmers trying the 50m fly for size. Of note, the 50s of non-free are raced as timed finals in the morning session. Chalmers was originally listed as a 200m freestyle entrant, but scratched.

Bronze medalist here in Adelaide behind the Campbell sisters in last night’s 100m free, Emma McKeon, established herself as the runaway favorite to win the 100m butterfly on day 2. This morning she cranked out a solid mark of 57.48 to represent the only swimmer under the 58-second mark. McKeon’s personal best rests at the 56.21 she set as a 20-year-old at the 2014 edition of this same meet to win that year’s national title.

The women’s 100m backstroke looks to be a thrilling race, with defending title holder Emily Seebohm holding steady as the 2nd seed in a casual 58.31 this morning. Topping the prelims field was 16-year-old Brisbane Grammar swimmer Minna Atherton, the reigning 50m backstroke World Junior record holder. In this morning’s race, Atherton produced the #1 seed in a swift time of 57.56, the 4th fastest of her career. It beat the time she earned in Windsor at the 2016 Short Course World Championships, where her outing of 57.99 finished in 15th overall.

Another teen is primed to take a shot at the title, however, in the form of 16-year-old Kaylee McKeown. The Spartan swimmer sits as the 3rd seed in a mark of 58.49, ready to bust up the Seebohm/Atherton Brisbane Grammar 1-2 punch. Of note, Olympic finalist Madi Wilson, opted to race the women’s 400m freestyle this morning and left the 100m back off of her meet program.

Kaylee’s older sister, 2016 Olympic finalist Taylor McKeown, was this morning’s top seed in the 200m breaststroke, taking the pole position with a time of 2:22.04. She’ll have to hold off Jessica Hansen who established herself as the 3rd seed, having already pocketed gold in the 100m distance on night 1.

The women’s 50m freestyle saw Shayna Jack capture the top seed in a morning mark of 24.27, a time that exactly matches that of the winning time from last year earned by Seebohm. Last year Jack touched in 24.75, so the 18-year-old teammate of the Campbell sisters has already smashed her 2016 result by almost half a second. For perspective, Jack’s time tonight would have finished 7th in the final last year in Windsor.

The Campbell sisters are indeed right behind, however, with C1 having claimed the 2nd seed in 24.39, followed by Bronte in 24.46.

Japanese swimmer Daiya Seto, who already took the men’s 200m butterfly gold on night 1, took on a tough double of the 200m back and 200m IM this morning. In the former, Seto took the #2 seed in a time of 1:55.20. In the latter, Seto showed his dominance again, as the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist earned a time of 1:56.73 to earn the middle lane in tonight’s 200m IM final by about a second ahead of the field.

Seebohm sucesfully defended her 100m IM title from last year, as she topped the women’s 100m IM this morning that was swum as a final. Stopping the clock at 1:00.21, Seebohm held off teammate Aisling Scott, who touched in 1:00.89 for silver, followed by Cala Buchanan who finished in 1:01.39 for bronze in the race.

The men’s 50m butterfly this morning served as the timed final, with 23-year-old Olympian David Morgan taking the short course national title in a time of 23.04. That proved quick enough for the win this morning, although Morgan was a fair amount faster in Windsor, having clocked a 22.47 for bronze at last year’s Short Course World Champoinships.

Nunawading’s Matthew Temple took the silver in 23.62, followed by Edward Marks with his time of 23.64. Well back in 8th and 9th psoitions overall were Bobby Hurley and Kyle Chalmers, who earned marks of 24.10 and 24.22, respectively.

In multi-class action, Daniel Fox scored a new S14 World Record in the 100m freestyle, touching in 52.68 to lead prelims.

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Oceanian
6 years ago

Pretty boring session to watch but at least it was a quick schedule. Can Shayna split the C’s or even win it?

Murica
Reply to  Oceanian
6 years ago

No

Oceanian
Reply to  Murica
6 years ago

Well she split them lol

Nlm78
Reply to  Oceanian
6 years ago

And smashed her PB again in the process. Cate got a Commonwealth Record in the process.

commonwombat
Reply to  Nlm78
6 years ago

Happy to be proven wrong. Her 100 last night did not really suggest a PB tonight but C2 is clearly well off her best and she pulled out a big one. All due congratulations to her.

Results in W100back were interesting. Seebohm winning in good but not great time but pushed hard by the younger generation (Atherton & McKeown Jr). Will be VERY interesting to see what LCM times are posted by these 2 over the AUS summer. This event at CG promises to be very competitive.

nlm78
Reply to  commonwombat
6 years ago

Also another one of the youngsters (Attard) won in the Men’s 200m free.

commonwombat
Reply to  nlm78
6 years ago

Yes, but like just about every male event so far; the time was inconsequential and the standard of the field ….. lets face it, few if any are likely to be in the final of this event at Trials.

SPF
Reply to  Oceanian
6 years ago

She has done it before at a SC FINA world cup event in Tokyo. Cate was never going to let Jack pass her tonight.

Uberfan
6 years ago

“Will be lit” hellow fellow kids

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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