2022 Australian Trials: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2022 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, May 18 – Sunday, May 22, 2022
• SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre, Oaklands Park, South Australia
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Entry List
• Live Results
• Live Stream (Amazon Prime)
• World Championships Qualifying Criteria

It’s the second-last day of the 2022 Australian Swimming Championships and six events will be contested during day 4 prelims. Kaylee McKeown, fresh off a 100 backstroke victory, will race the 200 backstroke en route to World Championships qualification in a 3rd event.

After that, it’ll be the men’s 200 fly, the women’s 50 fly, the men’s 400 IM, women’s 1500 freestyle, and then the men’s 100 freestyle.

Women 200 Back Prelims

• World Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (2019)
• World Junior Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (2019)
• Australian Record: 2:04.28 – Kaylee McKeown (2021)
• Commonwealth Record: 2:04.28 – Kaylee McKeown (2021)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 2:11.08

Top 8:

1. Kaylee McKeown – 2:11.57
2. Tahlia Thorton – 2:13.05
3. Mollie O’Callaghan – 2:13.17
4. Minna Atherton – 2:14.20
5. Bella Grant – 2:14.44
6. Abbey Webb – 2:14.57
7. Hannah Fredericks – 2:15.29
8. Alyssa Burgess – 2:16.52

Kaylee McKeown has been taking her prelims out fairly smoothly thus far at the Australian Championships. She swam a 4:42.40 in the 400 IM before hitting a 4:31.74 during finals and then went from a 1:00.24 to a 58.49 in the 100 backstroke. The 200 backstroke was no different for McKeown who posted a time of 2:11.57 during heat 1 of the 200 backstroke.

That swim for McKeown is well of her best time of 2:04.28 in the event from last year, which is the Australian record in the event. She will advance to finals and won her heat by over a second. Tahlia Thorton was second with a 2:13.05 compared to her entry time of 2:11.85.

Minna Atherton was the quickest woman in the second heat with a 2:14.20, while Abbey Webb followed closely in a 2:14.57. Atherton has been under the FINA A cut by several seconds before, having swum a best time of 2:07.38 back in 2019.

World Championships qualifier in the 100 and 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke Mollie O’Callaghan was also present during the 200 backstroke heats, hitting a 2:13.17 to win heat 3. The 200 back is her weakest event of the 100/200 free/back quartet, but considering her 2nd place finish in the 100 back, she won’t be out of contention in the final.

O’Callaghan’s best time in the event is a 2:11.03 from 2020, which is faster than the current FINA A cut by 0.05 seconds.

Men 200 Fly Prelims

• World Record: 1:50.73 – Kristof Milak (2019)
• World Junior Record: 1:53.79 – Kristof Milak (2017)
• Australian Record: 1:54.46 – Nick D’Arcy (2009)
• Commonwealth Record: 1:52.96 – Chad le Clos (2012)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 1:56.71

Top 8:

1. Bowen Gough – 1:58.74
2. Charlie Hawke – 1:58.89
3. David Morgan – 2:00.25
4. Alex Fahey – 2:00.92
5. Csongor Cellie – 2:01.31
6. Lucas Humeniuk – 2:01.75
7. Caio Gallo – 2:01.78
8. Troy Carlson – 2:02.16

Charlie Hawke took control on the first heat of the men’s 200 butterfly as the only man to get under 2 minutes. Hawke swam a 1:58.89 to slightly improve upon his entry time of 1:59.25 and out-swim Tokyo Olympian and top seed David Morgan.

Tokyo Olympian David Morgan was a touch slower than Hawke with a 2:00.25, which isn’t even within his top 30 swims in the event in history. Morgan has been under 2 minutes many times and has a best time of 1:55.40 from 2021 Australian Trials. At the most recent Olympics, however, Morgan was right around where he was today with a 2:00.27 for 35th.

In the second heat, Bowen Gough moved into the #1 position with a 1:58.74 but also trailed his entry time in the event, which is a 1:55.88. Gough swam that PB at Olympic Trials in 2021, but placed third to Morgan and Matthew Temple, missing a spot on the Olympic team.

Matthew Temple was absent from this event following his 100 butterfly victory on day 1 of the meet. He will race the 100 freestyle later on in the session.

Alex Fahey raced to a 2:00.92 during heat 3 of the 200 fly to qualify in fourth place for the final.

Women 50 Fly Prelims

• World Record: 24.43 – Sarah Sjostrom (2014)
• World Junior Record: 25.46 – Rikako Ikee (2017)
• Australian Record: 25.31 – Holly Barratt (2019)
• Commonwealth Record: 25.20 – Francesca Halsall (2014)

Top 8:

1. Alexandria Perkins – 26.45
2. Abigail Schoorl / Lily Price – 26.71
4. Holly Barratt – 26.80
5. Madi Wilson – 27.10
6. Kate Harrison – 27.16
7. Rebecca St Vincent – 27.21
8. Gemma Cooney – 27.26

It was 9th seed Abigail Schoorl who set the pace in the first heat of racing in the women’s 50 butterfly, delivering a 26.71 to beat her entry time of 27.17. That was quicker than Australian record holder Holly Barratt a few lanes over and World Champs qualifier Madi Wilson.

Barratt put up a 26.80 to trail her PB and NR of 25.31, while Madi Wilson was a 27.10 to slightly trail the 26.92 she was entered with.

In heat 2, Alexandria Perkins moved into the #1 position with a 26.45, while Lily Price matched Schoorl’s time with a 26.71. Perkins was entered as the second seed with a 26.48, giving her some room for improvement during the final.

Perkins will advance into the final as the top seed considering that Kate Harrison was the fastest in heat 3 with her time of 27.16. Harrison was followed by Ellysia Oldsen‘s 27.28 and 3rd seed Mia O’Leary who hit a 27.31. Both of them missed out on finals qualification.

Men 400 IM Prelims

• World Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• World Junior Record: 4:10.02 – Ilya Borodin (2021)
• Australian Record: 4:09.27 – Brendon Smith (2021)
• Commonwealth Record: 4:09.18 – Duncan Scott (2022)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 4:17.48

Top 8:

1. Brendon Smith – 4:21.86
2. Kieren Pollard – 4:22.40
3. Se-Bom Lee – 4:22.73
4. Elliot Rogerson – 4:22.78
5. David Schlicht – 4:23.69
6. Marco Soesanto – 4:24.37
7. Joshua Staples – 4:24.53
8. Thomas Hauck – 4:24.72

Tokyo medalist in this event Brendon Smith was the top seed heading into this event by roughly 5 seconds, meaning that he didn’t need to go too hard in order to get into the final. He seemed relaxed and he swam a 4:21.86 to win heat 1, which is well over the 4:09.27 PB he swam during Tokyo prelims, and the 4:10.38 he swam in the final to win bronze.

Smith was followed closely in the first heat by Kieren Pollard who hit a 4:22.40 and Elliot Rogerson who swam a 4:22.78.

Se-Bom Lee was the other entrant for Australia in the 400 IM at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and he placed 16th during prelims with a 4:15.76. His PB, however, came a few weeks earlier when he hit a 4:14.16 at Olympic Trials. Like Smith, Lee didn’t hit his full stride during prelims but will be back in the finals in an attempt to add the 400 IM to his slate this summer.

Lee and Smith both qualified for the men’s 200 IM earlier on in this meet and are expected to race the event in Budapest.

In addition to #2 qualifier Kieren Pollard and #4 Elliot Rogerson, David Schlicht, Marco Soesanto, Joshua Staples, and Thomas Hauck will be among those looking to threaten Smith and Lee for a top 2 spot in the final.

Men 100 Free Prelims

• World Record: 46.91 – Cesar Cielo (2009)
• World Junior Record: 47.30 – David Popovici (2021)
• Australian Record: 47.04 – Cam McEvoy (2016)
• Commonwealth Record: 47.04 – Cam McEvoy (2016)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 48.77

Top 8:

1. Flynn Southam / William Yang – 48.62
3. Jack Cartwright – 48.66
4. Zac Incerti – 49.07
5. Matthew Temple – 49.31
6. Dylan Andrea – 49.42
7. Benno Negri / Cody Simpson – 49.43

Young gun Flynn Southam and Jack Cartwright went head to head in the first heat of the men’s 100 freestyle. Southam swam a 48.62 to Cartwright’s 48.66. Southam recently dropped a new PB of 48.60 in the 100 freestyle and will have a shot at taking off some time during the final.

Butterfly ace Matthew Temple showed up to win heat 2 but didn’t get under 49 seconds like the top 2 in the heat before. Temple swam a 49.31 in the prelims, which is more than a second off his best time of 48.07 from the Tokyo Games.

In heat 3 it was William Yang who took the cake with a 48.62, coming in ahead of Zac Incerti’s 49.07. Yang matched Southam’s time, which will mean they are tied as the top seed heading into finals. This is a significant PB for the Bobby Hurley-trained swimmer who entered with a 49.23.

Yang’s training partner Dylan Andrea also got into the final in best time fashion, dropping from his 50.46 entry time, which he swam in April 2021, to a 49.42.

The other men who made it into the top 8 are Zac Incerti, Matt Temple, Benni Negri, and Cody Simpson who originally got DQed before it was oveturned.