Aussies Wrap Up Grand Prix As Part Of Their Final Push To Glasgow

The third competition in the Australians Grand Prix series of competition wrap up today in Brisbane. The competition format included many unusual over the two gathering.

“We experimented this year with some different formats of competition to provide some excitement for the athletes, with the idea to look at the right format for racing within the season to keep challenging them,” said Jacco Verhaeren, Australian National Team Coach.

“The team concept provided to be really good at Grand Prix 1 and I was happy with the short course format last night, and in particular the 4x25m relays which is something we’ll look to build on leading into Rio.”

The first day in Brisbane included events such as 25s, 75 and 100s of each stroke a 300 IM and 600 Free along with a 4x 25 freestyle and medley relay. On the first day the meet the swimmers competed for championships in the ‘100’, ‘200’ and all round championships. To win the 100 swimmers would need to add their 75 and 25 time together, for the 200 they would take their 75 and 200 while the all round prize went to the athlete who had the fastest combined time in the 25, 75 and 150 in one stroke.

The second day of competition included more traditional events such as the 50 freestyle, 100 and 200 of each stroke, 400 IM and 400 freestyle along with the 200 IM.

“Over the last couple of months, I’ve seen a lot of the work that the athletes and coaches have done and after the good results at Trials, they’ve put in another very good block of work which is good to know.”

Emily Seebohm had a tremendous first day collecting three gold and just missing the sweep of the 25, 75 and 150 backstroke events. Seebohm took the 25 backstroke in a time of 12.89, the 150 backstroke in a time of 1:33.52. In the 75 breaststroke she recorded a 42.89 just behind Madison Wilson who posted a 42.29.

Seebohm collected another win in the women’s 25 breaststroke finial taking the event in a time of 13.98.

Cameron McEvoy was also one event away from sweeping the freestyle events winning the 25 in a time of 9.86 and the 150 in a time of 1:14.18,. South Korean Park Tae Hwan stepped in and took the 75 and gave McEvoy a push in the 150 finishing only 43 one-hundredths behind the champion touching in a time of 1:14.61.

Christopher Wright had his chance at a sweep in the men’s breaststroke winning the 75 in a time of 37.39 followed by a victory in the 150 finishing in a time of 1:24.75. Wright just missed out on  a win  in the 25 finishing 19 one-hundredths of a second behind Jaden Hadler who on the event in a time of 10.62.

Sally Hunter is another athlete who was able to collect wins in two of the three events in her focus discipline. Hunter won the 75 breaststroke in a time of 48.40 and the 150 in a time of 1:44.53. She also finished second to Seebohm in the 25.

In the women’s freestyle Alicia Coutts took the 25 in a time of 11.37, the 100 was won by Brittany Elmslie in a time of 38.78 while Emma McKeon took the victory posting a time of 1:23.23.

In the men’s breaststroke Buster Kykes won the 25 posting a time of 12.51, Jake Packard took the 75 in a time of 43.95 while Thomas-Fraser Holmes won the 150 recording a time of 1:33.77.

Mariele D’Cruz took the women’s 25 butterfly in a time of 11.81. Emma McKeon, added to her win total, collecting gold in the 75 butterfly posting a time of 40.97. Madeline Groves who was the lone entrant in the women’s final took the women’s 150 butterfly in a time of 1:33.18.

The women’s 300 IM was won by Keryn McMaster who posted a 3:31.87 while Travis Mahoney took the men’s event in a time of 3:03.51.

In the 600 freestyle David McKeon and Thomas Fraser-Holmes battled the entire race with McKeon taking the event in a time of 5:42.67 with Fraser-Holmes finishing second in a time of 5:42.80

Katie Goldman won the 600 freestyle posting a time of 6:11.47.

Full results can be found here