Australian Championships: Day Three 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 400 Freestyle Multi-Class

Monique Murphy (SB10) won the women’s 400 freestyle multi-class in a time of 4:35.53 earning 970 points. Lakeisha Patterson (SB8) finished second ni a time of 3:45.06 scoring 952 points followed by Jade Lucy (SB14) who hit the wall in a 4:52.82 earning 871 points.

1. Monique Murphy  – 4:35.53
2. Lakeisha Patterson – 4:45.06
3. Jade Lucy – 4:52.82
4. Nikesh Harding – 5:10.37
5. Megan Botha – 5:14.93
6. Katja Dedekind – 4:58.87
7. Jenna Jones – 4:59.41
8. Maddison Elliot – 5:23.70

Men’s 400 Freestyle Multi-Class

Brenden Hall (SB9) took the men’s 400 freestyle multi-class in a time of 4:12.60 scoring 969 points. Rowan Crothers (SB10) finished second in a time of 4:09.87 earning 926 followed by Murray Harrison (SB10) who posted a 4:15.35 scoring 868.

1. Brenden Hall – 4:12.60
2. Rowan Crothers – 4:09.87
3. Murray Harrison – 4:15.35
4. Blake Cochrane – 4:43.94
5. Timothy Hodge – 4:29.43
6. Braedan Jason – 4:16.00
7. Jesse Aungles – 4:50.14
8. Liam Schluter – 4:15.99

Women’s 200 Freestyle (Semi-Finals)

• Australian Record – Emma McKeon – 1:55.53
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 1:56.95

On Sunday evening Emma McKeon will look to win her third straight national championship in the women’s 200 freestyle. McKeon put herself in a good position to make it a three peat by finishing with the fastest time of 1:55.82 in the semi-finals. Her time is not far off her own national record of the 1:55.53, which she recorded at the New South Wales State Championships in March.

Two of McKeon’s St Peters Western teammates had the second and third fastest qualifying times in the semi-finals. Bronte Barratt posted a 1:56.56 while Madeline Groves recorded a 1:57.84. After declining to swim the 400 freestyle final this is Barratt’s final attempt at qualifying for her third Olympic Games. Just like McKeon Groves has punched her ticket to Rio last night in the women’s 100 butterfly.

400 freestyle champion Jessica Ashwood posted the fourth fastest time of 1:58.28.

1.  Emma McKeon – 1:55.82
2. Bronte Barratt – 1:56.56
3. Madeline Groves – 1:57.84
4. Jessica Ashwood – 1:58.28
5. Leah Neale – 1:58.76
6. Mikka Sheridan – 1:59.24
7. Carla Buchanan – 1:59.31
8. Tamsin Cook – 1:59.45

Men’s 200 Freestyle

• Australian Record – Ian Thorpe – 1:44.06
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 1:46.45

The race for the top spot in the men’s 200 freestyle was an extremely exciting one as Thomas Fraser-Holmes and Cameron McEvoy finished in a dead heat, tying for the win in a time of 1:45.63. The race was extremely close from start to finish with the margin between the two men never being greater than 26 one-hundredths of a second. McEvoy held the lead until the last 50 where Fraser-Holmes posted a final split 22 one-hundredths of a second faster than McEvoy.

• Fraser-Holmes – 24.37/50.90 (26.53)/1:18.08 (27.18)/1:45.63 (27.55)
• McEvoy – 24.33/50.64 (26.31)/1:17.86 (27.33)/1:45.63 (27.77)

Fraser-Holmes’ and McEvoy’s time puts them second in the world rankings.

They were the only two men to go under the Olympic qualifying time.

David McKeon picked up the bronze in a time of 1:46.61 followed by Daniel Smith who posted a 1:46.87.

1. Thomas Fraser-Holmes – 1:45.63
2. Cameron McEvoy – 1:45.63
3. David McKeon – 1:46.61
4. Daniel Smith – 1:46.87
5. Jacob Hansford – 1:47.46
6. Mack Horton – 1:47.41
7. Kurt Herzog – 1:47.70
8. Jordan Merrilees – 1:48.07

Women’s 100 Backstroke

• Australian Record – Emily Seebohm – 58.23
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 59.71

Emily Seebohm took the women’s 100 backstroke in a time of 58.73. Seebohm was 39 one-hundredths of a second away from her season’s best of 58.34, which she recorded in November in Doha. Her time is the fastest time posted in 2016.

Considering the improvement that Seebohm made in between the 2015 Australian Championships and World Championships she is setting herself up well for another great summer. Last year she won this event in a time of 58.91 before going on to win the event in Kazan in a time of 58.26.

World Championship silver medalist Madi Wilson finished second in a time of 59.26. Although not her best performance, she has a season’s best of 59.09 and posted a 58.94 at this event last year, it was good enough to secure a spot on the Australian Olympic team.

Seebohm’s teammate Minna Atherton won the bronze in a time of 59.59, 22 one-hundredths of a second off her season’s best and junior world record.

1. Emily Seebohm – 58.73
2. Madi Wilson – 59.26
3. Minna Atherton – 59.59
4. Belinda Hocking – 59.81
5. Sian Whittaker – 59.92
6. Kaylee McKeown – 1:00.64
7. Holly Barratt – 1:00.77
8. Amy Forrester – 1:01.75

Men’s 100 Backstroke

• Australian Record – Mitch Larkin – 52.11
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 53.39

Mitch Larkin won the men’s 100 backstroke with relative ease posting a time of 52.54. He was off of his best of 52.11, which he recorded at the World Cup in Dubai.  Larkin has expressed the desire to erase Aaron Peirsol‘s name from the record books in both the 100 and 200 backstroke, something he may be able to accomplish once he faces stronger competition in Rio.

Larkin will be the only Australian competing in this event in Rio as no other competitor was able to swim faster than the Olympic qualifying time of 53.39. Joshua Beaver finished second in a time of 53.77 followed by Ashley Delaney who touched in a time of 54.29.

1. Mitch Larkin – 52.54
2. Joshua Beaver – 53.77
3. Ashley Delaney – 54.29
4. Ben Treffers – 54.70
5. Zac Incerti – 54.41
6. Bobby Hurley – 55.16
7. Robert Gerlach – 55.29
8. Ben Edmonds – 55.43

Women’s 100 Breaststroke

• Australian Record – Leisel Jones – 1:05.09
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 1:07.11

Georgia Bohl qualified for her first Olympic team winning the women’s 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:06.21. Bohl’s time places her fourth in the world rankings.

Considering that Yulia Efimova will most likely not be competing in Rio Bohl will have a better chance at winding up on the podium. Her time this evening would have won the silver at the World Championships beating Ruta Meilutyte‘s time of 1:06.36. Considering Meilutyte has a lifetime best of 1:04.35 and since returning from injury has already recorded a 1:05.82 she may be out of reach, but Bohl will have a shot to beat swimmers such as Alia Atkinson who on the bronze in Kazan.

Taylor McKeown finished second recording a time of 1:06.68. McKeown beat the Olympic qualifying standard of 1:07.11 and will be headed to Rio.

Jessica Hansen finished third in a time of 1:07.29.

1. Georgia Bohl – 1:06.12
2. Taylor McKeown – 1:06.68
3. Jessica Hansen – 1:07.29
4. Sally Hunter – 1:07.36
5. Leiston Pickett – 1:07.76
6. Lorna Tonks – 1:08.51
7. Jenna Strauch – 1:10.14
8. Carle Milikin – 1:11.08

Men’s 200 Butterfly (Semi-Finals)

• Australian Record – Nick D’Arcy – 1:54.46
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 1:55.75

Kieran Qaium was the fastest qualifier in the men’s 200 butterfly posting a time of 1:57.78, well off of the Olympic Qualifying standard of 1:55.75. Hugo Morris finished second in a time of 1:58.03 followed by defending Australian champion Grant Irvine who recorded a 1:58.27.

For an athlete to qualify for Rio in this event they will obviously have to make a significant jump from the time they posted in the semi-final. Irvine and David Morgan are the two most likely to do that. Irvine has a lifetime best of 1:55.32 while Morgan, who recorded a 1:59.21 this morning, has a lifetime best of 1:55.99.

1. Kieran Qaium – 1:57.78
2. Hugo Morris – 1:58.03
3. Grant Irvine – 1:58.27
4. Christopher Wright – 58.41
5. David Morgan – 1:59.21
6. Nicholas Brown – 1:59.86
7. Isaac Jones – 2:00.14
8. Will Harmson – 2:00.97

Women’s 200 IM (Semi-Finals)

• Australian Record – Stephanie Rice – 2:07.03
• Olympic Qualifying Time – 2:11.39

Blair Evans continues to impressive with another strong performance, this time in the women’s 200 IM where she posted the evening’s fastest time of 2:12.45. Last night Evans qualified to swim the 400 IM in Rio earning a berth on the Australian national team for the first time in four years. The Olympic qualifying time of 2:11.39 alluded her in the semi-final, but she has set herself up well to achieve the standard in the final.

Alicia Coutts had the second fastest time of the evening recording a time of 2:12.50 followed by 2015 Australian Championship silver medalist Kotuku Ngawati who hit the wall in a time of 2:12.78.

1. Blair Evans – 2:12.45
2. Alicia Coutts – 2:12.50
3. Kotuku Ngawati – 2:12.78
4. Keryn McMaster – 2:13.11
5. Ellen Fullerton – 2:14.27
6. Aisling Scott – 2:14.71
7. Calypso Sheridan – 2:15.74
8. Holly Brettle – 2:16.41

Women’s 50 Breaststroke Multi-Class

Tiffany Kane (SB6) won the women’s 50 breaststroke multi-class set a new world record in the event 43.06. Kane beats the record of 43.48 set by Kristen Bruhn in 2012. Kenda Williams (SB9) finished second in a time of 38.64 followed by Kate Wilson (SB6) who posted a 49.66.

1. Tiffany Kane (SB6) – 43.06
2. Kenda Williams (SB9) – 38.64
3. Kate Wilson (SB6) – 49.66
4. Jaime Getson (SB14) – 39.85
5. Hannah Britton (SB15) – 38.11
6. Ruby Storm (SB14) – 41.08
7. Emily Schmidt (SB14) – 41.81
8. Nicole Miro (SB9) – 43.09

Men’s 50 Breaststroke Multi-Class

Blake Cochrane (SB7) won the men’s 50 breaststroke multi-class in a time of 35.55 earning 997 points. Matthew Levy (SB7) finished second in a time of 36.69 followed by Richard Eliason (SB14) who touched in a time of 31.63.

1. Blake Cochrane (SB7) – 35.55
2. Matthew Levy (SB7) – 36.69
3. Richard Eliason (SB14) – 31.63
4. Ahmed Kelly (SB3) – 50.67
5. Liam Bekric (SB13) – 31.69
6. Matthew Ward (SB9) – 32.42
7. Rohan Bright (SB7) – 40.56
8. Solomon Coleman (SB14) – 35.64

• For the SB2 and SB3 classes, the 50 breaststroke is a Paralympic event
• For the SB4-SB14 classes, the 100 breaststroke is a Paralympic event