2024 Australian Olympic Trials: Day 5 Prelims Live Recap

2024 AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS

Buckle up, folks: Has there ever been a more stacked event at Olympic Trials than the women’s 100 freestyle tonight in Australia?

Making the A-final is going to be an absolute dogfight with talents such as 2023 world champion Mollie O’Callaghan (52.16), defending Olympic champion Emma McKeon (52.52), top-5 performer this season Meg Harris (52.59), reigning Worlds bronze medalist Shayna Jack (52.60), four-time Olympian Cate Campbell (53.23), 2015 world champion Bronte Campbell (53.30), 200 free world record holder Ariarne Titmus (53.68), world junior champion Olivia Wunsch (53.71), and two-time Olympian Brianna Throssell (53.77) listed on the psych sheet. No matter the lineup, the Aussies will be heavy favorites in the women’s 4×100 free relay in Paris this summer.

Former world record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook will kick off the session in the men’s 200 breast as the top seed (2:05.95), with Joshua Yong a couple seconds behind (2:08.54). Both own entry times under the Swimming Australia cut of 2:09.50. Jenna Strauch (2:22.22) and Abbey Harkin (2:23.65) are the women to beat in the 200 breast, as both have also been under the Australian Olympic mark of 2:23.91.

In the men’s 200 back, Joshua Edwards-Smith (1:55.42) and Bradley Woodward (1:55.95) boast the top entry times a couple seconds faster than the field. They should clear the Aussie Olympic cut of 1:57.28 on Friday.

The men’s 1500 free might be the toughest event for the Aussies to qualify two individual swimmers in today, but it’s certainly possible. 2023 Worlds bronze medalist Sam Short is the top seed at 14:37.28 with Matthew Galea next at 14:57.19, a few seconds outside of qualifying range (14:54.29).

MEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS

Top 8:

  1. Zac Stubblety-Cook – 2:08.40
  2. Joshua Yong – 2:10.66
  3. Bailey Lello – 2:11.46
  4. Joshua Collett – 2:11.83
  5. Finlay Schuster – 2:12.57
  6. Matthew Wilson – 2:12.85
  7. Angus Menzies – 2:13.00
  8. Daniel Cave – 2:14.33

Former world record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook claimed the top seed in the men’s 200 breast with a time of 2:08.40, already under the Australian Olympic qualifying mark of 2:09.50. The 25-year-old has been as fast as 2:05.95 in 2022, and his 2:07.50 from April ranks 6th in the world this season

Joshua Yong touched a couple seconds behind Stubblety-Cook in 2:10.66, only about a second of the Aussie Olympic cut. The 22-year-old owns a lifetime best of 2:08.54 from April.

Bailey Lello (2:11.46) and Joshua Collett (2:11.83) were the only other swimmers under 2:12 in prelims.

Stubblety-Cook wasn’t the only ex-world record holder in the 200 breast prelims as Matthew Wilson qualified 6th in 2:12.85, close behind Finlay Schuster (2:12.57). The 25-year-old Wilson brought the global standard down to 2:06.67 back at the 2019 World Championships, though he only held the record for a day.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS

  • World Record – 2:17.55, Evgeniia Chikunova, 2023
  • Australian Record – 2:20.54, Leisel Jones, 2006
  • Oceanian Record – 2:20.54, Leisel Jones, 2006
  • Commonwealth Record – 2:18.95, Tatjana Schoenmaker, 2021
  • All Comers Record – 2:20.04, Rie Kaneto, 2016
  • Swim Australia OQT – 2:23.91

Top 8:

  1. Jenna Strauch – 2:24.83
  2. Ella Ramsay – 2:25.21
  3. Matilda Smith – 2:26.95
  4. Abbey Harkin – 2:28.83
  5. Mikayla Smith – 2:28.99
  6. Kara Tinder – 2:29.40
  7. Reidel Smith – 2:30.28
  8. Zoe Deacon – 2:30.35

Jenna Strauch notched the top time in the women’s 200 breast prelims at 2:24.83, only a couple seconds off her personal-best 2:22.22 from the 2022 World Championships. The 27-year-old reached the wall within a second of the Aussie Olympic qualifying time of 2:23.91.

Ella Ramsay qualified 2nd for tonight’s final with a time of 2:25.21, within a second of her personal-best 2:24.28 from last December. The 19-year-old needs to drop a few tenths off her lifetime best tonight in order to hit the Aussie Olympic cut.

Another 19-year-old, Matilda Smith, clocked a time of 2:26.95 for the third qualifying spot. Her best time sits at 2:24.89 from April’s Australian Open Championships, where she beat 26-year-old Abbey Harkin. Harkin qualified 4th in 2:28.83, well off her personal-best 2:23.59 from 2021.

MEN’S 200 BACK – PRELIMS

  • World Record – 1:51.92, Aaron Piersol, 2009
  • Australian Record – 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin, 2015
  • Oceanian Record – 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin, 2015
  • Commonwealth Record – 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin, 2015
  • All Comers Record – 1:53.72, Mitch Larkin, 2015
  • Swim Australia OQT – 1:57.28

Top 8:

  1. Bradley Woodward – 1:56.91
  2. Joshua Edwards-Smith – 1:58.14
  3. Stuart Swinburn – 1:58.48
  4. Enoch Robb – 1:58.91
  5. Se-Bom Lee – 1:59.36
  6. Marius Boll – 1:59.44
  7. Ty Hartwell – 1:59.60
  8. Mitch Larkin – 1:59.93

Bradley Woodward paced the men’s 200 back heats in 1:56.91, already under the Aussie Olympic cut of 1:57.28. The 25-year-old was only about a second off his personal-best 1:55.56 from last December. On Tuesday, Woodward placed 2nd in the 100 back (53.53) a few tenths off the Aussie Olympic cut (53.21).

Joshua Edwards-Smith was next to the wall in 1:58.14, a couple seconds off his best time from 2022 (1:55.42). The 21-year-old needs to drop another seconds to get under the Australian Olympic qualifying mark.

Stuart Swinburn (1:58.48) and Enoch Robb (1:58.91) also broke 1:59 in prelims this morning to put themselves in contention for a top-2 finish tonight.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – PRELIMS

  • World Record – 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom, 2017
  • Australian Record – 51.96, Emma McKeon, 2021
  • Oceanian Record – 51.96, Emma McKeon, 2021
  • Commonwealth Record – 51.96, Emma McKeon, 2021
  • All Comers Record – 52.06, Cate Campbell, 2016
  • Swim Australia OQT – 53.61

Top 8:

  1. Meg Harris – 52.52
  2. Mollie O’Callaghan – 52.57
  3. Shayna Jack – 52.65
  4. Bronte Campbell – 52.95
  5. Olivia Wunsch – 53.30
  6. Emma McKeon – 53.61
  7. Brianna Throssell – 53.78
  8. Milla Jansen – 54.26

Meg Harris fired off a personal-best 52.52 to lead a loaded women’s 100 free prelims just a blink ahead of 2023 world champion Mollie O’Callaghan (52.57). Harris shaved .07 seconds off her best time from April, remaining the No. 4 performer in the world this season behind O’Callaghan (52.27 in April), 2024 world champion Marrit Steenbergen (52.26), and Siobhan Haughey (52.02).

Shayna Jack was next to the wall in 52.65, not far off her personal-best 52.28 from the 2023 World Championships. Bronte Campbell wound up 4th in 52.95 while her older sister, Cate Campbell, missed the A-final by just a hundredth of a second with a 9th-place showing in 54.27.

World junior champion Olivia Wunsch (53.30) held off reigning Olympic champion Emma McKeon (53.61) and Brianna Throssell (53.78) for the fifth-fastest time in prelims. Wunsch dropped almost half a second off her previous-best 53.71 from last September. Milla Jansen, a 17-year-old who placed 2nd behind Wunsch at World Juniors last September, snagged the last spot in the A-final with a time of 54.26.

200 free world record holder Ariarne Titmus missed the A-final with a 10th-place effort of 54.37.

MEN’S 1500 FREE – PRELIMS (SLOWER HEATS)

  • World Record – 14:31.02, Sun Yang, 2012
  • Australian Record – 14:34.56, Grant Hackett, 2001
  • Oceanian Record – 14:34.56, Grant Hackett, 2001
  • Commonwealth Record – 14:34.56, Grant Hackett, 2001
  • All Comers Record – 14:39.54, Mack Horton, 2016
  • Swim Australia OQT – 14:54.29

Top 8:

  1. Allesio Macri – 15:40.84
  2. Tex Cross – 15:40.92
  3. James Smith – 15:42.94
  4. Noah Kamprad – 15:53.76
  5. Nolan Carrel – 16:08.47
  6. Benjamin Wainman – 16:13.20
  7. Tommy Lane – 16:17.23
  8. Corben Powell – 16:18.57

The slower heats of the men’s 1500 free came down to the wire as Allesio Macri (15:40.84) eked past Tex Cross (15:40.92). The 18-year-old Macri dropped almost nine seconds off his seed time of 15:49.14.

James Smith (15:42.94) and Noah Kamprad (15:53.76) were the only other swimmers who went under 16 minutes. The Aussie Olympic cut sits at 14:54.29.

Tonight’s favorite, 2023 Worlds bronze medalist Sam Short, appears to have scratched out of the event.

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Meow
12 days ago

The parking attendant asked if I was an athlete – probably because I got here ridiculously early, but it was the best thing to happen to my ego in a long time.

Mark69
Reply to  Meow
12 days ago

Did you say yes? Are you a late entrant for a B final?

Meow
Reply to  Mark69
12 days ago

I should have, it would have gotten me free parking! But my long course swimming is pretty pathetic, nobody wants to watch that.

Boomer
12 days ago

What time y’all reckon the W100 FR final will take place tonight? An hour after the session starts?

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Boomer
12 days ago

hour and a quarter – it’s scheduled for 8:44

Last edited 12 days ago by Emily Se-Bom Lee
Boomer
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
12 days ago

Thanks Emily Se-Bom Lee!

SNygans01
12 days ago

Off topic, but I hope that Kyle (and the other 4x100FS guys in the Paris squad) sees the comments that have been posted today, under the SS article about his current back problem.

Mainly trolls I guess.

Last edited 12 days ago by SNygans01
The unoriginal Tim
Reply to  SNygans01
12 days ago

What did Sjostrom say about the back problem? She has suffered too.

He probably ahould have knocked the labouring on the head three months out from trials though.

Last edited 12 days ago by The unoriginal Tim
Fingers crossed
12 days ago

Horrible to ask…. But what if Milla Jansen opted to drop out of tonight’s final to allow Cate the chance to qualify for the relay????

Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

Question to Aussies:

Where will Olympics staging camp be located? And when will they head there?

The unoriginal Tim
12 days ago

Cowbell LOL

Swimmer
Reply to  The unoriginal Tim
12 days ago

Like your names says pretty unoriginal joke she’s accomplished more then you ever will keyboard warrior

LelloT89
12 days ago

Sad for Cate Campbell, her anchor leg races have always been one of the most exciting parts of relays

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  LelloT89
12 days ago

She would have not gone anywhere near those splits in the current state.

2008 Beijing: the youngest ever 50 free medalist at barely 16. Beat Coughlin in 100 free earlier in the year in Santa Clara in 53.30 that remained as US Open record until Sjostrom broke it in early 2016.

2009: had illnesses and underperformed in Rome.

2010 and 2011: had illnesses and didn’t participate in Pan Pacs, Commonwealth Games, and Worlds

2012 London: part of winning 4×100, but then she had illness that forced her to withdraw from individual 100 free race and swam 50 but didn’t final.

2013: Finally healthy and blitzed 2013 Barcelona

2015: got beaten by little sister, but extremely happy

2016… Read more »

mahmoud
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

correction – fastest relay split 50.93 from pan pacs 2018.

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  mahmoud
12 days ago

Thanks. Somehow I missed that one.

The Kaz
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

That is ridiculous!

Last edited 12 days ago by The Kaz
SNygans01
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

A great summary – parts of which I had forgotten/didn’t know – thanks!

Troyy
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

She got beaten by a very fast Bronte at 2018 Comm Games but otherwise had a great meet setting her current 50 PB.

Her fastest split is 50.93

Robbos
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

A legend!!!!

Joel
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

Worlds 2019? I cannot remember what she did there.

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  Joel
12 days ago

50 free bronze

100 free silver

4×100 free gold

4×100 medley silver

4×100 mixed medley gold

Last edited 12 days ago by Genevieve Nnaji
LelloT89
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

She’d probably only race in the heats if she made the team, but I’d still have liked to see her in Paris. At least if her freestyle leg of 2021’s 4×100 medley relay was her last Olympic race ever it was the perfect swan song

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  LelloT89
12 days ago

It was indeed a perfect swam song.

LelloT89
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

Also in 2019, I know 4×100 mixed medley relay Is not the main race, but her chasing down world champion Simone Manuel, beating her by over a second to give Australia the Gold by 0.02 is one of my favorite relay legs ever

Last edited 12 days ago by LelloT89
Troyy
Reply to  LelloT89
12 days ago

It’s up on the NBC Sports channel on YouTube for anyone that wants to watch it and has a VPN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-9JCUdgoI0

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  LelloT89
12 days ago

I forgot about that one!

Cate outsplit Simone by more than a second!

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
12 days ago

Addition:

Early 2007: a 14 yo Cate Campbell swam 50 free in 24.90 becoming the fastest ever 14 yo.

The record was broken by Yolane Kukla, a former gymnast, who swam 24.74 in 2010 Junior Pan Pacs in Hawaii. Many said the extreme wind aides the swim.

Cate Campbell also swam by far the most 52s in 100 free than any other female sprinters.

There was someone, I can’t remember who, who provided the exact numbers.

Southerly Buster
12 days ago

That was a real ‘changing of the guard’ moment when Wunsch swam past McKeon and Cate in that second heat.

Hoping Emma can hold off Throssell (and Jansen) in the final and make the 4×100 one more time.

Mark69
Reply to  Southerly Buster
12 days ago

Agreed. It was poignant, in that a (just) 18 year old beat someone who 16 years before had swum her way onto an Australian Olympic team as a teenager (16). Now for Olivia to make this Olympic team.

Last edited 12 days ago by Mark69

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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