A Couple of Thoughts on Day Three of the Australian Championships

More Than Half of All-Comers Records Broken

Out of the nine events swum on Friday six of them were the fastest any swimmer has posted on Australian soil. The first came in the women’s 400 freestyle where Jessica Ashwood won the event in a time of 3:59.23 beating Kylie Palmer‘s record of 3:59.92 which she set in 2010. Emily Seebohm beat her own record of 55.47 in the 100 backstroke taking the event in a time of 55.46. Cameron McEvoy broke both the all-comers and Australian record in the men’s 200 freestyle posting a 1:40.80. McEvoy had also set a new all-comers record in the prelims qualifying for the finals in a time of 1:42.24. Cate Campbell won the women’s 50 freestyle in a time of 23.64 breaking the record of 23.77 set by Libby Lenton in 2007.

Than of course there was Mitch Larkin who set a new world record in the men’s 200 backstroke. Before the meet started Larkin’s all-comers record was a 1:47.72 which he set last year.

Ashwood Dominating the Distance

In 2015 Jessica Ashwood was the top Australian in the long course 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle winning a bronze in the 400 and finishing fourth in both the 800 and 1500 freestyle at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan. That was not the case in 2014 in the short course pool. At the 2014 Australian Short Course Championships Ashwood won the 1500 freestyle, but lost out to Emma McKeon in the 400 and Brianna Throssell in the 800.

History did not repeat itself at this year’s championships in Sydney. Ashwood took the 1500 freestyle on the first day, the 800 freestyle on the second and the 400 freestyle on the third. She set a new Australian records in the 1500 and new all-comers records in both the 1500 freestyle and the 400 freestyle. She is now the world’s top ranked swimmer in all three events.