Ariarne Titmus Rockets To Third-Fastest 200 Free In History: 1:53.31

2022 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, May 18 – Sunday, May 22, 2022
• SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre, Oaklands Park, South Australia
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Entry List
• Live Results
• Live Stream (Amazon Prime)
• World Championships Qualifying Criteria

Ariarne Titmus continues to distance herself from the pack in the conversation of who the best middle-distance female freestyler in the world is.

Competing at the Australian Swimming Championships on Friday night, Titmus delivered a flawless swim en route to winning the women’s 200 freestyle in 1:53.31, a time that stands up as the third-fastest in history.

The clocking falls just over two-tenths shy of Titmus’ Commonwealth, Australian and textile world record of 1:53.09, set at the Aussie Olympic Trials last June, and gives her three of the four-fastest swims of all-time.

Italian legend Federica Pellegrini owns the world record at 1:52.98—set at the 2009 World Championships in the now-banned “super-suits”—but beyond that, no one has been better in this event than Titmus.

The 21-year-old now owns five of the 12-fastest swims ever.

All-Time Performances, Women’s 200 Freestyle (LCM)

1. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:52.98 – 2009 World Championships
2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:53.09 – 2021 Australian Olympic Trials
3. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:53.31 – 2022 Australian Championships
4. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:53.50 – 2021 Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020)
5. Allison Schmitt (USA), 1:53.61 – 2012 Olympic Games
6. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:53.67 – 2009 World Championships
7. Katie Ledecky (USA), 1:53.73 – 2016 Olympic Games
8. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 1:53.92 – 2021 Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020)
9. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 1:54.08 – 2016 Olympic Games
10. Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 1:54.22 – 2019 World Championships
11. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:54.27 – 2019 World Championships
12. Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 1:54.30 – 2019 Australian Championships

SPLIT COMPARISON

Titmus was actually under her Australian Record pace over the first 150 of the race tonight, and still managed to close quicker than she did when she won Olympic gold last summer in 1:53.50. This is the first time she’s opened up sub-27 and kept the remaining 50s all under 29 seconds.

The race as a whole was extremely competitive, with 18-year-old Mollie O’Callaghan actually out-splitting Titmus on the last 50 (28.54) to claim second in 1:54.94, while Madi Wilson (1:55.86) and Kiah Melverton (1:55.94) were also sub-1:56 for third and fourth.

The entire ‘A’ final ended up being faster than the second-fastest swimmer at the American Trials late last month. Eighth-place in South Australia was 1:56.82, while the runner-up in Greensboro was 1:57.08.

Titmus has said that she won’t race at the 2022 World Championships next month, but instead will gear her focus toward the Commonwealth Games later in the summer.

O’Callaghan’s showing here would’ve immediately made her a medal contender regardless, but in Titmus’ absence, the race in Budapest is somewhat wide open behind favorite Siobhan Haughey, especially with Katie Ledecky dropping the event from her schedule.

Titmus takes over the top spot in the 2021-22 world rankings, while O’Callaghan sits fifth, but is fastest in 2022 among swimmers who will compete in Budapest.

Titmus also raced the 100 free earlier in the meet, placing fifth in a personal best time of 53.68, and will take on the 400 free on Sunday.

In that race, the reigning Olympic champion is also the second-fastest swimmer in history, with her 3:56.69 PB trailing only Ledecky’s 3:56.46. Could a world record be in store?