Australian Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2016 HANCOCK PROSPECTING AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS)

• Thursday April 7th-Thursday April 14th
• SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre – Adelaide
• Prelims – 11 am local (9:30 pm EDT previous evening); Finals – 7:45 pm local (6:15 am EDT)
• Australian Olympic Qualifying Criteria
• Psych Sheets
• Program of Events
• Live stream
• Live results

Women’s 100 Freestyle Multi-Class

Paralympic bronze medalist Maddison Elliot (SB8) won the women’s 100 freestyle multi-class in a time of 1:05.34, earning 971 points. Rachael Watson (SB4) finished second in a time of 1:31.78, earning 928 points while Paralympic champion Ellie Cole (SB9) finished third in a time of 1:02.69 collecting 925 points.

1. Maddison Elliot (SB8) – 1:05.34
2. Rachael Watson (SB4) – 1:31.78
3. Ellie Cole (SB9) – 1:02.69
4. Lakeisha Patterson (SB8) – 1:06.51
5. Taylor Corry (SB14) – 1:01.88
6. Ashley McConnell (SB9) – 1:05.22
7. Tiffany Thomas (SB6) – 1:17.14
8. Emily Beecroft (SB9) – 1:06.15

Men’s 100 Freestyle Multi-Class

Daniel Fox (SB14) took the men’s 100 freestyle multi-class in a time of 53.72 earning 988 points. Joshua Alford (SB14) finished second in a time of 54.60 earning 941 points followed by Paralympic silver medalist Matthew Levy (SB7) who posted a time of 1:02.06 good enough for 914 points.

1. Daniel Fox (SB14) – 53.72
2. Joshua Alford (SB14) – 54.60
3. Matthew Levy (SB7) – 1:02.06
4. Rowan Crothers (SB10)  – 52.38
5. Timothy Disken (SB9) – 56.33
6. Jack Ireland (SB14) – 55.90
7. Brenden Hall – (SB9) – 57.24
8. Braedan Jason (SB13) – 53.81

Men’s 200 Breaststroke

• Australian Record – Christian Sprenger – 2:07.31
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 2:09.64

The first event of the evening that had an Olympic team implications was the men’s 200 breaststroke. Matthew Wilson took the event in a time of 2:09.90. This was a great performance for the 17 year old who came into the competition with a lifetime best of 2:11.23. Although Wilson missed the Olympic qualifying time by 26 one-hundredths of a second the Junior World Championship silver medalist showed once again that he has very bright future in the event.

2015 Australian national champion Nicholas Schafer finished second in a time of 2:10.75 beating his previous lifetime best of 2:11.25. Jake Packard, who will be swimming the 100 breaststroke in Rio finished third in a time of 2:12.65.

1. Matthew Wilson – 2:09.90
2. Nicholas Schafer – 2:10.75
3. Jake Packard – 2:12.65
4. Lennard Bremer – 2:13.45
5. Joshua Tierney – 2:13.63
6. George Harley – 2:13.79
7. Alex Milligan – 2:13.90
8. Daniel Cave – 2:14.79

Women’s 100 Freestyle (Semi-Final)

• Australian Record – Cate Campbell – 52.33
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 53.92

Sisters Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell faced off in the semi-finals of the women’s 100 freestyle, both coming away from the evening with some pretty impressive times. Cate won the second semi-final in a time of 52.41 only eight one-hundredths of a second off her own Australian and Commonwealth record of 52.33, which she posted in 2013. She was out a bit faster than the time she put up at the 2013 World Championships, but was 15 one-hundredths of a second slower in the back half of the race.

• Australian Record – 25.19/52.33 (27.14)
• Cate Campbell – 25.12/52.41 (27.29)

Bronte finished 37 one-hundredths of a second behind hitting the wall in a time of 52.78. She was not far off her personal best of 52.52 which she posted in her victory at the 2015 World Championships.

Emma McKeon continued on her hot streak this time putting up a lifetime best of 52.98 to qualify for the 100 freestyle final with the third fastest time. McKeon shaved 34 one-hundredths of a second off her lifetime best of 53.32, which she recorded at last year’s Japan Open.

The three women are now first, second (Bronte Campbell tied Sarah Sjostrom for the world’s second fastest time) and fourth in the world rankings.

Two women who were part of the 4 x 100 freestyle that won the gold in London just missed making the final. Alicia Coutts, who swam on the relay in the prelims of the 2012 Games, finished ninth in a time of 54.67 while Emily Seebohm finished tenth in a time of 54.74.

1. Cate Campbell – 52.41
2. Bronte Campbell – 52.78
3. Emma McKeon – 52.98
4. Brittany Elmslie – 53.62
5. Madi Wilson – 54.26
6. Shayna Jack – 54.39
7. Bronte Barratt – 54.40
8. Kotuku Ngawati – 54.59

Men’s 200 Backstroke (Semi-Final)

• Australian Record – Mitch Larkin – 1:53.17
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 1:57.12

World champion Mitch Larkin was top qualifier for the men’s 200 backstroke final posting a time of 1:54.68, well off his Australian and Commonwealth record of 1:53.17. Larkin finished five seconds faster than the next competitor in the second semi-final.

Joshua Beaver won the first semi-final hitting the wall in a time of 1:57.42. Beaver has a lifetime best of 1:56.48, which he put up at last year’s Australian Championships. He was followed by Matson Lawson who finished in a time of 1:59.43.

1. Mitch Larkin – 1:54.68
2. Joshua Beaver – 1:57.42
3. Matson Lawson – 1:59.43
4.  Tristan Ludlow – 1:59.51
5. Jared Gilliland – 1:59.78
6. Nic Groenewald – 2:00.22
7. Ben Edmonds – 2:00.61
8. Keelan Bridge – 2:01.50

Women’s 200 Butterfly

• Australian Record – Jessicah Schipper – 2:03.41
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 2:07.69

The women’s 200 butterfly final was a two women show as Madeline Groves and Brianna Throssell finished close to four seconds ahead of the field. Groves, who has already qualified for the Olympic team in the 100 butterfly, finished over a second ahead of Throssell finishing in a time of 2:05.47. She just missed her lifetime best of 2:05.41, which she posted at last year’s Australian Championships.

Groves’ performance is faster than the time that Natsumi Hoshi put up in her win at the 2015 World Championships. She also posted a faster time at last year’s trials, but went on to record a 2:08.00 in the semi-finals and missing the final in Kazan.

Throssell finished second in a time of 2:06.58 beating the Olympic qualifying time by over a second and punching her ticket to Rio. She beat her lifetime best of 2:06.60, which she recorded at the 2015 South Australian State Championships.

The two women now sit first and fifth in the world rankings.

Laura Taylor finished third in a time of 2:10.19.

1. Madeline Groves – 2:05.47
2. Brianna Throssell – 2:06.58
3. Laura Taylor – 2:10.19
4. Alice Stuart – 2:11.09
5. Nicole Mee – 2:12.44
6. Alexandra Good – 2:14.51
7. Emily Washer – 2:14.62
8. Tianni Gilmour – 2:14.77

Men’s 100 Freestyle

• Australian Record – Eamon Sullivan – 47.05
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 48.49

Cameron McEvoy put up an incredible performance in the men’s 100 freestyle posting a winning time of 47.04 breaking both the Australian and Commonwealth mark and finishing only 13 one-hundredths of a second behind Cesar Cielo‘s world record time of 46.91. McEvoy broke Eamon Sullivan‘s Commonwealth and Australian record of 47.05, which he recorded in 2008. The time 21 year old posted today is the fastest textile time ever swum.

McEvoy had a much stronger back half than either Cielo or Sullivan.

• World record (Cesar Cielo) – 22.17/46.91 (24.74)
• Commonwealth record (Eamon Sullivan) – 22.44/47.05 (24.61)
• Cameron McEvoy – 22.54/47.04 (24.50) 

McEvoy’s time is eight tenths of a second faster than the time that Ning Zetao posted to win last summer’s World Championships.

Proving that he is one of the best young swimmers in the world 17 year old Kyle Chalmers finished second in a time of 48.03, breaking the world junior record of 48.25 set by Matheus Santana at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

• Matheus Santana (2014) – 23.34/48.25 (24.91)
• Kyle Chalmers (2016) – 23.20/48.03 (24.83)

The two men were both under the Olympic qualifying time of 48.49 and now sit first and sixth in the world rankings.

James Roberts was also under the Olympic qualifying time finishing third in a time of 48.32.

Olympic silver medalist James Magnussen finished fourth in a time of 48.68. He will not be swimming the individual event in Rio, but will be a member of the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay. Magnussen was over a second and a half off his lifetime best of 47.10.

Matthew Abood finished fifth in a time of 48.89 followed by Will Stockwell who recorded a 48.96. Both men will be travelling to Rio as part of the 4 x 100 freestyle relay team.

1. Cameron McEvoy – 47.04
2. Kyle Chalmers – 48.03
3. James Roberts – 48.32
4. James Magnussen – 48.68
5. Matthew Abood – 48.89
6. Will Stockwell – 48.96
7. Jack Gerrard – 49.28
8. Kenneth To – 49.35

Women’s 200 Breaststroke (Semi-Final)

• Australian Record – Leisel Jones – 2:20.54
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 2:23.06

Taylor McKeown was the top qualifier for tomorrow night’s 200 breaststroke winning her semi-final in a time of 2:24.77, over a second off the Olympic qualifying time of 2:23.06. Georgia Bohl hit the wall in a time of 2:24.91, qualifying with the second fastest swim of the evening.

Both women have already earned berths on the Olympic team in the 100 breaststroke.

Tessa Wallace, who swam this event in Kazan, had the third fastest qualifying time of 2:25.53.

1. Taylor McKeown – 2:24.77
2. Georgia Bohl – 2:24.91
3. Tessa Wallace – 2:25.53
4. Jessica Hansen – 2:26.98
5. Sally Hunter – 2:27.68
6. Jenna Strauch – 2:28.87
7. Sarah Beale – 2:30.22
8. Lorna Tonks – 2:32.10

Men’s 200 IM (Semi-Final)

• Australian Record – Leith Brodie – 1:56.69
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 1:58.54

Thomas Fraser-Holmes dominated the semi-finals of the men’s 200 IM posting a time of 1:57.92. The next closest competitor was Justin James who hit the wall in a time of 2:00.42. Fraser-Holmes was not far off his lifetime best of 1:57.88, which he posted in 2014. He has already qualified to swim both the 200 freestyle and 400 IM in Rio and was under the Olympic qualifying time of 1:58.54.

His time places him fifth in the world rankings.

Travis Mahoney, who also qualified for Rio in the 400 IM, finished third in a time of 2:00.48.

1. Thomas Fraser-Holmes – 1:57.92
2. Justin James – 2:00.42
3. Travis Mahoney – 2:00.48
4. Daniel Tranter – 2:00.55
5. Clyde Lewis – 2:00.69
6. Kazim Bokovic – 2:00.87
7. Tomas Elliott – 2:01.67
8. Jared Gilliland – 2:02.12