Six Aussies Earn Olympic Roster Spots Through Day 1 Of Trials

SWIMMING AUSTRALIA OLYMPIC TRIALS

Day 1 of the Australian Olympic Trials brought the heat, as several swimmers etched their names onto the roster for next month’s Games in Tokyo, Japan. Although not every event had qualifiers, we saw two national records go down and multiple personal bests logged as evidence the nation’s best have brought their A-game to this highly-anticipated competition.

The women’s 100m fly saw just one qualifier in the form of Olympic medalist Emma McKeon but the versatile 27-year-old did it up in style. Throwing down a massive time of 55.93, McKeon established not only a new lifetime best in the event in which she placed 6th in Rio, but she registered a new Australian and Oceanic Record in the process.

The other Australian record was wiped out by Brendon Smith en route to topping the men’s 400m IM podium. The NY Breaker fired off the swim of his life, hitting the wall in 4:10.04 as a new Aussie standard. Behind him was Se-Bom Lee, with the Carlile Swimming Club also getting onto the roster with a PB of 4:14.16.

The men’s 400m freestyle was an absolute showdown, as the top 5 finishers all scored times beneath the Australian qualification time for the Olympics. Elijah Winnington led the way in a new lifetime best of 3:42.65 while veteran Jack McLoughlin also notched his roster spot for silver in 3:43.27. We reported that the reigning Olympic champion in the event, Mack Horton, was shut out in 3rd place and will not have a chance to defend his gold in Tokyo.

Although he didn’t nail a time quick enough for an individual bid in the men’s 100m breaststroke event, we’re including Zac Stubblety-Cook on the consideration roster as the breaststroke on the Australian medley relays.

Aussie Olympic Qualifiers Through Day 1:

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MICoach
3 years ago

If the take Stubblety-Cook for the relays, will he be able to swim the individual since he’s already there?

NJones
Reply to  MICoach
3 years ago

Assuming they do take him there is NO reason for him, or any other (Throssell) to NOT be entered in the individual version of the event assuming they have the Fina B time for the 1 and only entry, or Fina A for the 2nd entry. Why? Many reasons, if nothing else for the ‘team’ a chance for a warmup/prep swim in the exact event they will be repping the team on relay squads. Bonus scenario is that they swim really well and advance to a 2nd swim (ie semi’s) or better. Any country that does bring relay swimmers in this scenario and does NOT enter them in that Ind event would be a really bush league decision.

NJones
Reply to  NJones
3 years ago

Costs them nothing, and only would look like “you’re fast enough to serve us on a relay, but no sorry you are not worthy of an Ind swim…”

Swimmer
Reply to  NJones
3 years ago

Throssel is well under the FINA a time for the event she’s just not under the time swimming Australia set

Skip
3 years ago

More than likely will take throssell for womens medley relay heats, keep mckeon for the final

Aussie
Reply to  Skip
3 years ago

That’s what I was gonna say! She was only 0.01 off anyways

Verram
3 years ago

Stubblety Cook surely will make the cut in the 200 breastroke based on his recent form

Joris Bohnson
3 years ago

200 free tomorrow is gonna be wild !!(Chalmers, Horton, Fraser Holmes, Neil, Winnington, Lewis, Graham, McLoughlin)

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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