2021 SWIMMING AUSTRALIA OLYMPIC TRIALS
- Saturday, June 12th – Thursday, June 17th
- South Australia Aquatic & Leisure Centre, Adelaide, Australia
- Sole Olympic-Qualifying Opportunity
- 2021 Swimming Australia Olympic Nomination Criteria
- Meet Site
- Final Start List
- Live results
- Qualifying Criteria
- Day 3 Finals Live Stream (Amazon Prime required)
All hope seems to be lost for the survival of the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay this summer at the Olympic Games. In 2019, the Australian women lowered the mark to a 7:41.50 to win World Championships gold and now, 2 years later, we are seeing telltale signs that they can be expected to swim ever faster when they take to the event in Tokyo.
For proof of just how quick the Australian women could swim at the Olympics this summer, we can take a look at how fast the top 4 women at Trials swam compared to how fast the top 4 at the 2021 Australian Nationals in April, as well as how fast they swam on the world record-breaking relay in 2019.
Time Comparisons:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL | |
| 2021 Olympic Trials (Add-Up) | 1:53.09 | 1:54.74 | 1:55.68 | 1:56.08 | 7:39.59 |
| 2021 Nationals (Add-Up) | 1:55.43 | 1:56.26 | 1:57.29 | 1:55.79 | 7:44.77 |
| 2019 World Record Split | 1:54.27 | 1:56.73 | 1:55.60 | 1:54.90 | 7:41.50 |
In 2019, Ariarne Titmus opened the world record-breaking relay up with a 1:54.27 Australian record split and was followed by Madi Wilson (1:56.73) and Brianna Throssell (1:55.60) for the second and third splits, leaving Emma McKeon to throw down a 1:54.90 anchor leg.
A few months ago, we provided an update on the Australian women’s depth in the 200 freestyle based on results from the 2021 Australian Swimming Championships where Titmus and McKeon both cracked 1:56 while Wilson established a 1:56.26.
Top 8 Women’s 200 Freestyles at 2021 Australian Nationals
- Ariarne Titmus – 1:55.43
- Emma McKeon – 1:55.79
- Madi Wilson – 1:56.26
- Brianna Throssell – 1:57.29
- Leah Neale – 1:57.35
- Mollie O’Callaghan – 1:57.65
- Kaylee McKeown – 1:57.76
- Kiah Melverton – 1:58.38
Now that they are racing at the 2021 Olympic Trials, the women have stepped up their game even more.
Ariarne Titmus led the pack with a 1:53.09 to shave more than a second off her 1:54.27 Australian record and got within 0.11 seconds of Federica Pellegrini‘s 2009 world record. After her, Emma McKeon was a blistering 1:54.74 for the silver medal making her and Titmus the likely duo to swim the event individually in Tokyo. Behind them, 4 more women got under the Olympic qualifying time of 1:56.82 which will give the nation a lot of names to work with for their Olympic relay lineup.
Top 8 Women’s 200 Freestyles at 2021 Australian Nationals
- Ariarne Titmus – 1:53.09
- Emma McKeon – 1:54.74
- Madi Wilson – 1:55.68
- Leah Neale – 1:56.08
- Meg Harris – 1:56.29
- Mollie O’Callaghan – 1:56.29
- Tamsin Cook – 1:56.96 (B final)
- Kiah Melverton – 1:57.25
- Brianna Thorssell – 1:57.66
While the add-up from 2021 Nationals still trailed their world record mark, the top 4 swims from Aussie women at Trials in the form of Titmus, McKeon, Wilson, and Neale add up to a 7:39.59 which is nearly 2 seconds under the 2019 World Record. Factoring in the likelihood that they will be, on average, faster at the Olympics than they were at Trials and the added benefit of 3 relay takeovers, the Aussie women on track for an absolutely lethal performance in Tokyo.
I wouldn’t count the American women out just yet!!
Or the Canadians…. In 2019 the Canadians were just a 2018 154 version of Ruck away from being stroke for stroke down the last 50… Will see next week at their trials where they are all at…
eh better check your math skills on this one.
The aussies can have the luxury to bring 8 swimmers for the 4X200 relay and rest 4 of them for the finals
for women 4 x 200fs relay in tokyo titmus must swim on last leg and mckeon will swim on first leg, coz usa last leg could be ledecky , they just lucky won gold at 2019 championship . dont repeat mistake in 2008 men 4 x 100fs relay., they put eamon sullivan on first leg
So many relay world records gonna get broken
really strange watching this race, titmus going a monstrous time made 2-6 look slow even though they were all 1:56.29 or faster. even mckeon who did her second fastest time, looked slow in comparison. a 1:54 in isolation is really fast
This article idea was definitely taken from a SwimSwam comment. 😁
They might throw Cook into prelims and rest three for finals. Either way, this WR is gonna be decimated
It’s no guarantee. Everyone said this about the US Women’s team from 2012-2015 when their individual add up was under 7:40 with Ledecky, Franklin, Schmitt, Vreeland/Smith/Margalis/others. It has to come together perfectly for all of them at the same time.
I dont see the Americans beating the Aussies in Tokyo, but we will find out soon enough! Not sure anyone besides ledecky is 1:54 or lower caliber.
Huske if she drops the 200 IM (the day after mckeon dropped a 55.93 huske answer with a 55.78 in the SEMIS of the 100 fly and could go faster tonight) she went 1:58 last month with no one pushing her and with her going 53.4 in the 100 free in season she got the 52 speed for the 100 and should help her get with in 1 sec of mckeon 200 free time