2023 Australian World Championship Trials: Day 6 Prelims Live Recap

2023 AUSTRALIAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

The final day of the 2023 Australian World Championship Trials has arrived with the men’s 50 freestyle, women’s 50 free, men’s 400 IM, women’s 400 IM, and men’s 100 butterfly heats scheduled for Sunday morning. Tonight’s finals session will also feature the women’s 1500 free.

29-year-old Cameron McEvoy will try to keep his momentum going in the men’s 50 free after taking down his best 50 fly time from 2016 on Wednesday.

After finishing just .04 seconds behind Mollie O’Callaghan (52.48) in the women’s 100 free on Saturday night, reigning Olympic champion Emma McKeon will be looking to bounce back in the 50 free, where she set the Olympic record (23.81) two summers ago in Tokyo. Shayna Jack, who won the 50 free national title a couple months ago, should provide McKeon with some solid competition here in Melbourne.

In the men’s 400 IM, national record holder Brendon Smith will have to shave nearly four seconds off his winning time from April’s Australian National Championships (4:16.37) in order to meet the Australian qualifying time of 4:12.50.

Stay tuned for live updates below:

Men’s 50 Freestyle – Heats

  • World Record: Cesar Cielo, 20.91 (2009)
  • Australian Record: Ashley Callus, 21.19 (2009)
  • Commonwealth Record: Ben Proud, 21.11 (2018)
  • Swimming Australia QT: 21.83
  • World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 22.12

Top 8 Qualifiers:

  1. Cameron McEvoy – 21.27
  2. Isaac Cooper – 22.03
  3. Thomas Nowakowski – 22.07
  4. Jamie Jack – 22.16
  5. Jezze Gorman – 22.21
  6. Michael Pickett – 22.43
  7. Flynn Southam – 22.59
  8. Ashton Brinkworth – 22.60

Ladies and gentlemen, Cameron McEvoy is back.

The 29-year-old Aussie sprint star fired off a ridiculous world-leading 21.27 50 free to kick off the session, the only swimmer under 22 seconds in this morning’s heats by a wide margin. McEvoy shaved .17 seconds off his previous-best 21.44 from the 2016 Australian Championships, marking his first personal best in seven years. His prelims time would have won gold at last year’s World Championships and silver at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics behind only Caeleb Dressel (Olympic-record 21.07). It’s the fastest time in the world this season by nearly three-tenths of a second.

2022-2023 LCM Men 50 Free

2Ryan
Held
USA21.5007/01
3Florent
Manaudou
FRA21.5606/15
4Jack
Alexy
USA21.5707/29
5Benjamin
Proud
GBR21.5807/29
View Top 26»

McEvoy is now the second-fastest Australian in the history of the event, within a tenth of national record holder Ashley Callus (21.19 from 2009). He’s also tied as the 10th-fastest all-time among all performers. You can read more about the swim here.

Isaac Cooper was next to the wall in a personal-best 22.03, dropping a couple tenths off his previous-best 22.25 from last year’s Australian Championships. The 20-year-old Cooper is still a couple tenths off the Australian qualifying time (21.83).

Women’s 50 Freestyle – Heats

  • World Record: Sarah Sjostrom, 23.67 (2017)
  • Australian Record: Cate Campbell, 23.78 (2018)
  • Commonwealth Record: Cate Campbell, 23.78 (2018)
  • Swimming Australia QT: 24.70
  • World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 25.04

Top 8 Qualifiers:

  1. Meg Harris – 24.52
  2. Shayna Jack – 24.54
  3. Emma McKeon – 24.58
  4. Bronte Campbell – 24.82
  5. Madi Wilson – 24.96
  6. Mollie O’Callaghan – 25.08
  7. Olivia Wunsch – 25.22
  8. Milla Jansen – 25.34

It was tight atop the women’s 50 free heats as Meg Harris (24.52), Shayna Jack (24.54), and Emma McKeon (24.58) were separated by just .06 seconds this morning.

The 21-year-old Harris was just two tenths off her personal-best 24.32 from last year’s Commonwealth Games, which earned her a silver medal. Jack, 24, was four tenths off her personal-best 24.14 from last year’s Australian Championships. The 29-year-old McKeon’s lifetime best is just a blink off the Aussie national record, an Olympic-record 23.81 from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

29-year-olds Bronte Campbell (24.82) and Madi Wilson (24.96) also joined the leading trio under the 25-second barrier. 100 free and 200 free champion Mollie O’Callaghan wasn’t far behind with a 25.08, about half a second off her best time (24.52) from last year’s Australian Championships, where she placed third.

Men’s 400 IM – Heats

  • World Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (2008)
  • Australian Record: 4:09.27, Brendon Smith (2021)
  • Commonwealth Record: 4:09.18, Duncan Scott (2022)
  • Swimming Australia QT: 4:12.50
  • World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 4:17.48

Top 8 Qualifiers:

  1. Se-Bom Lee – 4:20.25
  2. William Petric – 4:21.22
  3. Thomas Neill – 4:22.76
  4. Thomas Hauck – 4:22.95
  5. Brendon Smith – 4:24.39
  6. Kyle Lee – 4:24.50
  7. Kyle Neisler – 4:25.57
  8. Joshua Kerr – 4:25.61

Se-Bom Lee led the men’s 400 IM heats this morning with a 4:20.25, about a second ahead of runner-up William Petric (4:21.22). Lee’s lifetime best is a 4:14.16 from the 2021 Australian Trials, while Petric owns a personal-best 4:17.85 from April’s Australian Championships, where he placed third behind Lee and Brendon Smith.

Smith, the national record holder with a 4:09.27 from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, qualified fifth in prelims with a 4:24.39. The 22-year-old likely has more left in the tank tonight as he won the national title in April with a 4:16.37.

200 IM champion Thomas Neill qualified third with a 4:22.76, within a second of his personal-best 4:22.07 from 2019. 20-year-old Thomas Hauck qualified fourth with a 4:22.95, about four seconds off his best time (4:18.54) from the 2021 Australian Trials.

Women’s 400 IM – Heats

  • World Record: 4:25.87, Summer McIntosh (2023)
  • Australian Record: 4:29.45, Stephanie Rice (2008)
  • Commonwealth Record: 4:25.87, Summer McIntosh (2023)
  • Swimming Australia QT: 4:38.53
  • World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 4:43.06

Top 8 Qualifiers:

  1. Jenna Forrester – 4:42.85
  2. Ella Ramsay – 4:44.75
  3. Kiah Melverton – 4:45.77
  4. Kayla Hardy – 4:48.65
  5. Lexi Harrison – 4:52.47
  6. Lucy Dring – 4:52.87
  7. Emily White – 4:54.99
  8. Jacinta Essam – 4:55.70

Men’s 100 Butterfly – Heats

  • World Record: Caeleb Dressel, 49.45 (2021)
  • Australian Record: Matthew Temple, 50.45 (2021)
  • Commonwealth Record: Josh Liendo, 50.36 (2023)
  • Swimming Australia QT: 51.28
  • World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 51.96

Top 8 Qualifiers:

  1. Matthew Temple – 52.01
  2. Jack Carr – 52.27
  3. Shaun Champion – 52.32
  4. David Morgan – 52.32
  5. Cody Simpson – 52.32
  6. Kyle Chalmers – 52.39
  7. Jesse Coleman – 52.48
  8. Harrison Turner – 52.90

The men’s 100 butterfly final is shaping up to be a thriller tonight.

23-year-old Matthew Temple led the way in 52.01, about a second and a half off his national record of 50.45 from 2021. Jack Carr touched second in 52.27 as the 22-year-old took .78 seconds off his lifetime best from March. Shaun Champion, David Morgan, and Cody Simpson combined for a rare three-way tie in 52.32.

Aussie tabloid media should be salivating as both Simpson and Kyle Chalmers (52.39) will be in the A-final together tonight along with Jesse Coleman (52.48) and Harrison Turner (52.90), who all finished under 53 seconds this morning.

Women’s 1500 Freestyle

  • World Record: 15:20.48, Katie Ledecky (2018)
  • Australian Record: 15:46.13, Maddy Gough (2021)
  • Commonwealth Record: 15:40.14, Lauren Boyle (2015)
  • Swimming Australia QT: 16:09.09
  • World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 16:29.57

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Marklewis
1 year ago

Yeah Cody v. Kyle in the 100 fly final.

Let the drama begin. I think Kyle will try very hard to beat Cody.

Anyone know what their 100 fly PBs are?

Negative Nora
Reply to  Marklewis
1 year ago

Chalmers has been 51.37 (2020)
Simpson has been 51.78 (2022)

Last edited 1 year ago by Negative Nora
Sub13
Reply to  Marklewis
1 year ago

I don’t think anyone cares about Cody vs Kyle except the Daily Mail

Zippo
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

I’m sure Emma McKeon is interested.

Sub13
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

I’m sure she wants her boyfriend to qualify, but I’m also sure she doesn’t care who he beats to get there

maheny
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

looks like you are part of their target audience and yes you should feel ashamed about that

Personal Best
1 year ago

It’s gonna be interesting in the 100 fly seeing who’s gonna be able to make the next leap after Temple.
I feel Temple will be able to get somewhere close to 51 low. Heck even 50 high.

I’d really like to see what Chalmers can do in the fly now that he seems to be in good health.

And the youngsters behind them should hopefully put on a good show.

Negative Nora
Reply to  Personal Best
1 year ago

I’m hoping Temple is able to break back into the 50-point range here. It would be nice to see him approach his 50.45 Australian Record this season.

Last edited 1 year ago by Negative Nora
Nono
1 year ago

Interesting that this is also a selection event for a TYR pro event in the US which happens at the same time as WC. Those who just missed the QT will make the team.

This means that logistics is not an issue (e.g. they have money to send these swimmers outside).

If they are looking for experience, then WC is the place to be especially for those who meet the A cut 🤷

Joel
Reply to  Nono
1 year ago

The ones who go to the USA have to pay $3000, just like in 2022.

Nono
Reply to  Joel
1 year ago

oh this is news to me. Wow this is sad

oxyswim
Reply to  Nono
1 year ago

They made swimmers who went to the meet last summer pay. Would doubt Swim Australia is covering everything this year for that group

Oceanian
1 year ago

Once again, one of the most interesting pieces of commentary comes during a 1500m heat.

Sub13
Reply to  Oceanian
1 year ago

I laughed when the commentator said “if you win a 100 you basically make the team because you’re needed for the relays even if you miss the QT” and all he could say was “the selectors will consider everything” because he didn’t want to say yes

Negative Nora
1 year ago

Great to Jansen (and Wunsch again) sneaking into the A-Final – serves a great experience for the next few years.

Emmy27
1 year ago

The 1Fly is going to be hot tonight! Temple out in front and securing lane 4.

Jack Carr with a 52.27 is earn lane 5.

Simpson & Champion with a dead heat of 52.32 and then Morgan with the same time in the next heat to all equal third fastest. Pushing Kyle (52.39) to…. lane 7 if my calcs are correct.

SNygans01
Reply to  Emmy27
1 year ago

This event has definitely had a ‘step-up’ in overall quality/depth of late. That was evident at Nationals too.
Sub-53 to make final – might have happened before, but I doubt it.

Looks like that was a massive PB from Carr to get into the mix.

Personal Best
Reply to  SNygans01
1 year ago

It was probably the men’s event I was looking forward to the most.
Of course, after the 100 free that event turned out to be a highlight, but it’s in the fly I believe there is the most potential.

Oceanian
1 year ago

Great swim Carr

Oceanian
1 year ago

Marion 1-2 but good swim for Coleman in 3rd too

bubbles
Reply to  Oceanian
1 year ago

accidently missed temple’s swim, what was his time?

Troyy
Reply to  bubbles
1 year ago

52.01

bubbles
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

oh ok, thanks!

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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