Aussie Icon Emily Seebohm Shut Out Of Women’s 100 Back For Worlds

2019 AUSTRALIAN WORLD SWIMMING TRIALS

The 2nd shock shut-out in as many days transpired on night 2 of the 2019 Australia World Swimming Trials.

Despite entering this 6-day meet as the top seed and veritable shoe-in for a slot on the Gwangju roster in both backstroke events, World Champion and Olympic medalist Emily Seebohm finished way back in 4th in the women’s 100m back tonight.

Establishing herself as the 2nd seed in a time 1:00.26, Seebohm missed breaking the minute mark tonight, despite having done so more than an almost unfathomable 60+ times in her career. Seebohm wound up hitting the wall in 1:00.29 in the final here in Brisbane.

Taking the meet title was her 19-year-old teammate in Minna Atherton, the 50m back World Junior Record holder who has been making steady improvements over the last year. Atherton took gold tonight in 59.20, slicing .14 off of her previous lifetime best of 59.34 hit just this past April for the Aussie national title, with her outing this evening bumping her into the #3 slot among all-time Aussies in the event.

Atherton’s time clears the 59.82 Aussie-mandated QT needed to make the World Championships roster, as does runner-up Kaylee McKeown.s mark of 59.28. This 100m back is 17-year-old McKeown’s 2nd event for Worlds already, as the teen already nailed qualification in the 200m IM on night 1.

All-Time Aussie Women Performers in the 100 Back

  1. 58.23 Emily Seebohm 1992 London 28.07.12
  2. 58.75 Madison Wilson 1994 Kazan 04.08.15
  3. Minna Atherton – 59.20
  4. 59.25 Kaylee McKeown 2001 Tokyo 09.08.18
  5. 59.29 Belinda Hocking 1990 London 30.07.12

Seebohm’s situation echoes the fate of Mack Horton in the men’s 400m free from night 1, as the Olympic champion missed qualification in that event. Seebohm still has the 200m backstroke event to contest here in Brisbane.

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Riptide
4 years ago

Truthfully, i am happy for the other athletes especially after how Emily treats some other AUS athletes behind the scenes during Pan Pacs

Troy
Reply to  Riptide
4 years ago

What happened?

Aquajosh
4 years ago

It could be a bit of a blessing in disguise. The 200 is her baby, and by having the youngsters do so well in the 100, she’s in a better position to save up for a grand effort in her best event to compete against the likes of Panziera who is laser-focused on the 200.

Now she just has to make it. I for one hope she does.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
4 years ago

MIKE , so many young promising swimmers are showing up in Australia ( as in Usa ) …so lets cheer those guys up as well as some veterans …. World Swimming needs a healthy Aussi Team to grow and evolve .

ERVINFORTHEWIN
4 years ago

Great for the youngsters rising up ……

Torchbearer
4 years ago

Maybe we should all hold judgement till after the 200m bk- she is 2 time defending World Champ.

Samuel Huntington
4 years ago

Two teens beat Emily with solid times. To me it is a changing of the guard, nothing to worry about.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Samuel Huntington
4 years ago

exactly

Brownish
4 years ago

We can look at it from any side. This is shock.

DRAMA KING
4 years ago

Dont be angry with me for saying this.
After their break up, Mitch has improved very much on swimming perspective and seems to be Emiley has just moved on swimming life to more balanced life.

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