As the sun set on Friday in Melbourne, Victoria, former Australian World Record holder Michael Klim has completed his inaugural return meet, the first week of the 2011 Victorian Qualifier. Overall, the return was a successful one – at least as successful as his countrymate Ian Thorpe’s earlier this month.
In long course competition, Klim raced his way first to a 51.03 on his 100 meter split en route to a full 200 (he was racing the first 100 for a split), and a 23.11 in the 50 free.
That 100 meter time, however, was in dispute after the meet. Klim’s coach, Rohan Taylor, claims to have hand-timed him in a 49.89 for that first-half split in the 200 meter race. It will take another meet to confirm exactly how good he is, but if the 49.88 is accurate, then this is a phenomenal comeback. That mark that Taylor scored seems almost too good to believe – it’s certainly well above the level of a 23.11 in the 50. Those in attendance claim that the touch-pad didn’t register until Klim’s feet hit it, rather than his hand, in the time-trial turn. If that is true, then a sub-50 split is certainly a reasonable result.
As Klim begins the long climb back to the top of the Australian rankings, that 50-meter time ties him for 20th in Australia this year, and the 100 meter time ranks him somewhere near the bottom of the top 30 (though, the 49.88 would put him in the top-12).
To place in the top 6 at the 2011 Australian Nationals, the equivalent of earning a relay spot, it took only a 49.16 (relatively slow in international terms for a gold-medal winning squad). That mark figures to drop considerably this season with the addition of Klim and Thorpe back into the mix; the typical Olympic-year surge; and the continued improvements from the likes of Kyle Richardson and Cameron McEvoy, that number will probably move to at least a 48.7 or 48.8 for a relay swim.
Overall, he finished 2nd-to-last in the 200 free in 2:23.30, though he was basically cooling down on the back-half.
I’d find it highly amusing (and quite possible) that Klim knocks off Thorpe for a relay spot. I think Klim will make the 400 FR, and possibly the 100 fly (imagine two old bald guys swimming the 100 fly for Australia). However, I feel Thorpe won’t do much more than make the 800 FR, depending on the strength of the other 200m guys. Definitely no medal for him, let alone being a challenge to Phelps.
Apparently the 51.03 was recorded on the touch of his feet, and failed to record his hand touch on the pad, so yes, it was most likely a 49.9, which is great.
There were scoreboard timing errors at the meet, and standing behind the blocks in the heat after I personally thought it was closer to 49.9 than a 51.0. Either way, a great comeback!
At the end of the day, that’s the truth isn’t it mickey? Either way it was a good performance, and it didn’t sound like he was counting on this time as anything more than a bench mark (not planning on qualifying times, etc). Good perspective though from behind the blocks!
btw, even if it was a 50.50sec, it was a great comeback by Klim.
I think Thorpe will also swim around that time in Italy next month.
Kyle Richardson is the 6th fastest Australian this year with 48.89 already, and that is without Thorpe, Klim, McEvoy, etc.
It will most likely take 48mid to make the 6th relay swimmer for Australia.