2023 Australian National Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2023 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 17 – 20, 2023
• Marine Parade, Southport, Queensland
• Gold Coast Aquatic Centre
• Long Course Meters
• Meet Central
• Entry Sheets
• Prelims at 10 a.m. AEST / 8 p.m. EST; finals at 6 p.m. AEST / 4 a.m. EST
• Preview
• Day 1 Finals Recap/Day 2 Finals Recap
• Live Results

MEN’S 200 IM FINALS

• World Record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte (USA), 2011
• World Junior Record: 1:56.99 – Hubert Kos (HUN), 2021
• Australian Record: 1:55.72 – Mitch Larkin, 2019
• Commonwealth Record: 1:55.28 – Duncan Scott (GBR), 2021
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 1:59.53

Top 10:

1. Tommy Neill – 1:58.99
2. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 1:59.19
3. William Petric– 2:00.84
4. Se-Bom Lee – 2:01.22
5. Joshua Staples – 2:02.44
6. Brendon Smith – 2:03.52
7. Gabriel Gorgas – 2:03.59
8. Joshua Collett – 2:04.13
9. Elliot Rogerson – 2:04.75
10. Luis Townsend – 2:04.95

The men’s 200m IM kicked off this evening’s events, with Tommy Neill of Rackley taking the gold.

20-year-old Neill put up the only time produced by an Australian this evening under the 2:00 threshold, getting to the wall in 1:58.99. He was joined shortly after by visiting Canadian Finlay Knox who touched in 1:59.19.

19-year-old William Petric rounded out the top 3 in 2:00.84.

As for Neill, his outing checks in as a lifetime best, dipping under the 1:59.87 logged at the 2021 Queensland Championships. His result also gets under the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut, although we’ll see if he pursues this event come the actual World Trials in June.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS

• World Record: 2:18.95 – Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 2021
• World Junior Record: 2:19.64 – Viktoriya Gunes (TUR), 2015
• Australian Record: 2:20.54 – Leisel Jones, 2006
• Commonwealth Record: 2:18.95 – Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 2021
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 2:25.91

Top 10:

1. Kaylee McKeown – 2:24.18
2. Abbey Harkin – 2:25.72
3. Jenna Strauch – 2:25.94
4. Ashleigh Oberekar – 2;26.98
5. Matilda Smith – 2:27.26
6. Mikayla Smith – 2:27.26
7. Zoe Deacon – 2:30.21
8. Reidel Smith – 2:31.20
9. Emily Nobbs – 2:31.33
10. Ella Ramsay – 2:31.66

Already the 100m backstroke winner here in a super quick time of 57.90, 21-year-old Kaylee McKeown turned in a quick 2:24.18 to take the 200m breast.

Splitting 1:10.22/1:13.96, McKeown beat out breaststroke specialists Abbey Harkin and Jenna Strauch to top the podium. Harkin settled for silver in 2:25.72 while Strauch was at the wall in 2:25.94.

Strauch is the reigning World Championships silver medalist in this event, having logged a time of 2:23.04 last year in Budapest. She also took silver at the Commonwealth Games last year in 2:23.65 while Harkin finished 5th in Budapest.

As for McKeown, this new personal best destroys her previous career-quickest 2breast of 2:27.21 put up less than 2 years ago. That’s a big-time swim for the woman who earned a new All Comers Record in the 200m IM on night 1.

McKeown has proven her versatility, owning a 2:03 200m back, 2:24 200m breast and 2:08 200m IM. Her 200m breast ranks her 9th in the world this season.

MEN’S 50 FREE FINALS

• World Record: 20.91 – Cesar Cielo (BRA), 2009
• World Junior Record: 21.75. – Michael Andrew (USA), 2017
• Australian Record: 21.19 – Ashley Callus, 2009
• Commonwealth Record: 21.11 – Ben Proud (GBR), 2018
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 22.12

Top 10:

1. Cameron McEvoy – 22.11
2. Thomas Nowakowski – 22.17
3. Flynn Southam – 22.32
4. Ben Armbruster – 22.37
5. Jamie Jack – 22.51
6. Ashton Brinkworth – 22.59
7. William Yang – 22.66* tie
8. Jezze Gorman – 22.66* tie for 7th
9. William Stockwell – 22.67
10. Jack Cartwright – 22.99

In a country with as rich a history in freestyle sprinting, it was surprising to not see at least one sub-22 second 50m freestyle in this final. Yes, this is Nationals and not World Trials, but still surprising.

Nonetheless, 28-year-old Cameron McEvoy got to the wall first in 22.11, just .05 ahead of 22-year-old Thomas Nowakowski who touched in 22.17.

17-year-old Flynn Southam was next in line with a smooth-looking 22.32. The teen was was most recently 22.78 at the New South Wales Championships last month and previously held a lifetime best of 22.36 from when he took gold at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships.

Cody Simpson was entered in this event but didn’t swim prelims.

WOMEN’S 50 BACK FINALS

• World Record: 26.98 – Liu Xiang (CHN), 2018
• World Junior Record: 27.49 – Minna Atherton (AUS), 2016
• Australian Record: 27.16 – Kaylee McKeown, 2021
• Commonwealth Record: 27.16 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2021
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 28.22

Top 10:

1. Mollie O’Callaghan – 27.42
2. Bronte Job – 28.21
3. Jaclyn Barclay – 28..23
4. Madi Wilson – 28.30
5. Layla Day – 28.80
6. Hannah Fredericks – 28.86
7. Ingeborg Loyning (NOR) – 29.08
8. Olivie Lefoe – 29.17
9. Alyssa Burgess – 29.21
10. Cassie Wild (GBR) – 29.45

19-year-old Olympian Mollie O’Callaghan dominated this women’s 50m backstroke, clocking a time of 27.42. That rendered her the gold medalist well over half a second ahead of the next-closest swimmer of Bronte Job who touched in 28.21.

For MOC, her 27.42 checks in as the St. Peters Western star’s 2nd fastest time ever. It sits behind her PB of 27.38 from just this past March. She won this same event last year in a time of 27.46.

MOC already took the 100m free gold here in a menacing effort of 52.62  and already ripped a new lifetime best of 58.42 en route to the silver in the 100m back at this competition.

MEN’S 100 FLY FINALS

• World Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel (USA), 2021
• World Junior Record: 50.62 – Kristof Milak (HUN), 2017
• Australian Record: 50.45 – Matt Temple, 2021
• Commonwealth Record: 50.36 – Josh Liendo (CAN), 2023
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 51.96

Top 10:

1. Matt Temple – 51.49
2. Ben Armbruster – 51.96
3. Shaun Champion – 52.01
4. Kyle Chalmers – 52.09
5. Jesse Coleman – 52.59
6. Jack Carr – 52.81
7. David Morgan – 53.48
8. Cody Simpson – 53.48
9. Damian Badenhorst – 53.57
10. Bowen Gough – 54.01

Considering this isn’t the World Trials meet, the upper tier of men’s 100m butterfly was fairly quick.

Olympic finalist Matt Temple scored the top time in 51.49, a result which renders the Marion swimmer just outside the top 10 performers on the season.

The 23-year-old is the national record holder in this event with his lifetime best of 50.45 put up at the Tokyo Olympic Trials. He hit 51.40 last year in Birmingham to take Commonwealth Games silver.

20-year-old Ben Armbruster of Bond was also under the 52-second barrier, logging 51.96 for silver. That matches his prelims time exactly and registers his first-ever outing in the 51-zone.

Entering this meet, Armbruster’s personal best rested at the 52.41 produced at this same meet last year. He’s now the 15th fastest Australian in history.

Kyle Chalmers raked in the 4th place finish with a time of 52.09, dropping over half a second from his prelims outing. A time of 51.37 represents the Olympic champion’s career quickest in this event.

Commonwealth Games finalist Cody Simpson fell to 8th in 53.48.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE FINALS

• World Record: 3:56.08 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• World Junior Record: 3:56.08 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• Australian Record: 3:56.40 – Ariarne Titmus, 2022
• Commonwealth Record: 3:56.08 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 4:10.57

Top 10:

1. Ariarne Titmus – 4:00.49
2. Lani Pallister – 4:05.86
3. Eve Thomas (NZL) – 4:06.10
4. Jenna Forrester – 4:06.91
5. Maddy Gough – 4:10.61
6. Kiah Melverton – 4:10.94
7. Tamsin Cook – 4:11.40
8. Chelsea Gubecka – 4:14.19
9. Georgie Roper – 4:17.10
10. Leah Neale – 4:20.16

Olympic champion and former World Record holder Ariarne Titmus produced a new season-best en route to gold in this women’s 400m free.

Titmus posted 4:00.49 to win the race by over 5 seconds, with fellow World Championships and Commonwealth Games finalist Lani Pallister hitting 4:05.86 for silver. Kiwi swimmer Eve Thomas also landed on the podium in 4:06.10.

Although she didn’t earn a medal, 4th place Jenna Forrester scorched a new lifetime best of 4:06.91. That obliterated her previous fastest outing of 4:11.49 from 2020.

As for Titmus, her time this evening overtakes her previous season-best of 4:01.94 from last month, bumping her ahead of New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather in the world rankings to now be situated 3rd thus far.

Only former World Record holder Katie Ledecky of the United States and newly-minted WR holder Summer McIntosh of Canada have been faster this season.

Of note, tonight’s 5th place finisher Maddy Gough and 8th place finisher Chelsea Gubecka have already been named to Australia’s open water team for this summer’s World Championships.

MEN’S 100 BACK FINALS

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 2022
• World Junior Record: 52.53 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• Australian Record: 52.11 – Mitch Larkin, 2015
• Commonwealth Record: 52.11 – Mitch Larkin, 2015
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 54.03

Top 10:

1. Bradley Woodward – 54.66
2. Mark Nikolaev (RUS) – 54.76
3. Ty Hartwell – 54.83
4. Joshua Edwards-Smith – 55.06
5. Thomas Hauck – 55.34
6. Lewis Blackburn – 56.35
7. Fergus McLachlan – 56.43
8. Matthew Magnussen – 56.78
9. Anthony Boussounis – 56.96
10. Will Walsh – 58.47

The men’s 100m back was slightly underwhelming even for this non-Trials meet, with the swiftest time coming from winner Bradley Woodward‘s 54.66.

Getting to the wall just .10 later was Mark Nikolaev of Russia, who trains at Bond, who touched in 54.76 while Chandler’s Ty Hartwell rounded out the top 3 in 54.83.

Australia was without a men’s 1back finalist at last year’s World Championships but Woodward did wind up with a Commonwealth Games bronze last year (54.06).

The men don’t crack into the top 25 performers on the season and this, paired with a non-sub-1:00 breaststroker at this point doesn’t bode well for the Aussie men’s medley relay chances.

WOMEN’S 50 FLY FINALS

• World Record: 24.43 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2014
• World Junior Record: 25.46 – Rikako Ikee (JPN), 2017
• Australian Record: 25.31 – Holly Barratt, 2019
• Commonwealth Record: 25.20 – Fran Halsall (GBR), 2014
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 26.32

Top 10:

1. Brianna Throssell – 26.06
2. Alexandria Perkins – 26.26
3. Lily Price – 26.46
4. Meg Harris – 26.63
5. Kayla Costa – 26.85
6. Brooke Napper – 27.09
7. Madi Wilson – 27.31
8. Gemma Cooney – 27.40
9. Ellysia Oldsen – 27.60
10. Elizabeth Dekkers – 27.71

Brianna Throssell got it done for gold in this women’s 50m fly, hitting a time of 26.26. That represents the 2nd fastest time of the 27-year-old’s career, sitting only behind her PB of 25.93 from 2019.

Throssell already took 200m fly silver here in a solid 2:07.08. Her 50m fly time tonight now ranks her 14th in the world on the season.

Alexandria Perkins snagged silver in 26.26 while Lily Price produced 26.46 as tonight’s bronze medalist.

Of note, Emma McKeon reaped the 5th seed out of the heats in 27.04 but wound up dropping this final.

MEN’S 800 FREE FINALS

• World Record: 7:32.12 – Zhang Lin (CHN), 2009
• World Junior Record: 7:43.37 – Lorenzo Galossi (ITA), 2022
• Australian Record: 7:38.65 – Grant Hackett, 2005
• Commonwealth Record: 7:38.65 – Grant Hackett, 2005
• 2023 Worlds ‘A’ Cut: 7:53.11

Top 10:

1. Sam Short – 7:42.96
2. Elijah Winnington – 7:49.81
3. Matthew Galea – 7:58.64
4. Tommy Neill – 8:04.11
5. Mack Horton – 8:08.31
6. Joshua Staples – 8:09.43
7. Lachlan Walker – 8:14.96
8. Stuart Swinburn – 8:16.54
9. James Koch – 8:19.80
10. Tommy Lane – 8:20.07

After already registering a monster personal best in the men’s 400m free for gold on night 1, 19-year-old Sam Short crushed another PB to take 800m free gold this evening.

Hitting a time of 7:42.96, Short of Rackley obliterated his previous career-quickest time of 7:48.65 from this same meet last year. He topped the podium here by nearly 7 seconds, with Elijah Winnington posting 7:49.81 for silver while Matthew Galea was the only other sub-8:00 swimmer in 7:58.64.

For Short, his effort here now ranks him as the 4th fastest Australian swimmer in history.

Top 5 Aussie Men’s LCM 800 Free Performers

1. Grant Hackett – 7:38.65, 2005
2. Ian Thorpe – 7:39.16, 2001
3. Jack McLoughlin – 7:42.51, 2021
4. Sam Short – 7:42.96, 2023
5. Mack Horton – 7:44.02, 2015

Short now checks in as the #2 swimmer on the planet at the moment. Only Russia’s Aleksandr Stepanov has been speedier, owning a world-leading 7:42.47 from this week.