2019 AUSTRALIAN AGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Mon. April 15 – Mon. April 22, 2019 (Sunday/Monday Multiclass Timed Finals)
- Mon.-Sat. Heats 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (Local Time)
- Multiclass Timed Finals 4 PM Sat., 10 AM/4 PM Sun.-Mon.
- SA Aquatic & Leisure Center, Oaklands Park South Australia
- LCM (50-meter course)
- Meet site
- Live results
16-year-old Lani Pallister finished day 4 of the Australian Age Championships with a perfect 4-for-4 record in gold medals, thanks in large part to two wins on the fourth day.
A day after our discussion of the new Olympic lineup (which will pit the 200 free and 1500 free on the same day for women), Pallister went ahead and pulled off a tough 200 free/1500 free combo. The 200 free came first, with Pallister going 1:59.06 for the win. (The age record for Australia is 1:57.38). At the end of the session, Pallister went 16:16.91 to dominate the 1500 by more than a minute. That time makes Pallister the #3 Australian in the world this season.
Pallister has also won the 100 free and 400 free in the 16-year-old age group so far this week. She should also get a shot at the 800 free title later in the week.
At the opposite end of the distance spectrum, 17-year-old Kalani Ireland kept winning. The sprinter went 54.16 to win the 100 fly. He’s previously won the 100 back and 50 free at this meet with remarkable versatility.
Thomas Neill was another repeat winner. The 16-year-old went 1:49.18 to win the 200 free by a second and a half. Neill has previously won the 400 and 800 frees and was second in the 100 free and 400 IM.
Mollie O’Callaghan is another triple winner after Thursday’s sessions. O’Callaghan swept the 50 and 100 frees over the first three days in the 15-year-old division, and today went 1:01.05 to pace the 100 back by more than a second and a half.
Other repeat winners on day 4:
- Collette Lyons won the 200 fly in the age 13 class, going 2:18.94. She’d previously won the 200 breast in that age group.
- Fellow 13-year-old Claveria Johnson-Timalu won the 100 free in 57.11. She won the 200 back last night.
You can see full-session race videos below:
Prelims:
Finals:
16 year-old Thomas Neill’s performances at these Age Champs thus far: 50.75 in the 100 free, 1.49.18 in the 200 free, 3.50.99 in the 400 free, 7.59.05 in the 800 free and 4.22.07 in the 400 Im (swum in the same session of the 800 free). Solid indeed.
He’s incredible
He’s at a poor age cycle, probably to young for Tokyo unless his times drop & the next Olympic cycle will be when he is 21. However he shows great prospect.
Could make a huge splash at junior world championships . Like Mack Horton did in 2013.