Australia’s Olivia Wunsch Blasts Best Time 53.58 100 Freestyle Just Two Weeks Out From Trials

2024 New South Wales All Schools Swimming

  • May 29-31, 2024
  • LCM (50 meters)
  • Meet Mobile: 2024 New South Wales All Schools Swimming

Teenager Olivia Wunsch swam to a best time in the 100 freestyle just two weeks out from Australian Olympic Trials. Wunsch swam a 53.58, faster than her previous best time of a 53.71.

Wunsch’s old personal best time was a 53.71 that she swam to win gold at the 2023 World Junior Championships last September. She also won the 50 freestyle in a 24.59 at World Juniors.

Her old season best stood at a 53.99 from the middle of April. Her time from today is the #21 swim in the event in the World so far this season and makes her the 7th fastest Australian this season.

Top Australian Women 100 Freestyle – 2023-2024 Season

  1. Mollie O’Callaghan, 52.27
  2. Meg Harris, 52.60
  3. Shayna Jack, 52.76
  4. Emma McKeon, 53.00
  5. Cate Campbell, 53.23
  6. Bonte Campbell, 53.30
  7. Olivia Wunsch, 53.58

The 100 freestyle is a deep event for the Australian women as only seven women in the world this season have been under the 53-second mark including O’Callaghan, Harris, and Jack. The Australian women will look to defend their Olympic title in the 4×100 freestyle relay after winning the event by over three seconds in Tokyo, setting a World Record in the process.

Wunsch is entered in the 100 freestyle at Trials along with the 50 and 200 freestyles and 100 butterfly. This weekend she also is entered in the 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly as a tune-up for Brisbane.

  • Also highlighting the session was 15 year old Sienna Toohey who swam a best time in the 50 breaststroke with a 31.22

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Dinuka
26 days ago

It seems the Aussie unprecedented depth over the event will not end soon. It started with Jodie & Libby. They pass on to Cate, Bronte & Emma. Now it’s with Mollie, Shayna & Meg. With the current fastest junior in the world in Olivia and also Milla in the reckoning they will continue to dominate at least till 2032. Not to forget the contributions of Brittany, Melanie, Maddie & Brianna too!

TomDeanBoxall
27 days ago

A bit of an aside, not sure how old this article is but thought this was definitely a nod to many SwimSwam commenters so wanted to put it in here.

It’s from Arnie Titmus.

“I knew I had a great swim in me,” she said. “I truly thought the last bit of that race would come down to the five-metre mark between the three of us,” she says referring to American Ledecky and Canadian McIntosh.

“I was surprised the other girls weren’t up with me on the final turn and it’s the most satisfaction I have ever felt after a race,” she said.

 “On the last lap, I knew I was winning. As I hit the wall and didn’t even… Read more »

Sub13
Reply to  TomDeanBoxall
27 days ago

Lol she read the SwimSwam comments where that numpty kept saying she would get bronze

Summer in Paris
Reply to  Sub13
27 days ago

You Aussies should gaslight more people here to keep on underestimating Australian swimmers 😄

MOC might have been motivated after being understimated on Swimswam 100 swimmers list for 2 years in a row 😁

Last edited 27 days ago by Summer in Paris
Southerly Buster
Reply to  Sub13
27 days ago

“A big fat bronze” was the prediction. As usual Titmus confounded the doubters.

Troyy
Reply to  Sub13
27 days ago

I don’t know what to think about Aussie swimmers paying such close attention to the comments here. They must find some of our comments to be quite comical.

Sub13
Reply to  Troyy
26 days ago

It’s hard to know. I’ve heard a lot of different swimmers talk about reading the SwimSwam comments. I don’t know if what she said is specifically about comments here or someone else but hey, it helped her in the end.

arthur morgan
27 days ago

at this rate, australia can take 8 women for the 400 fr relay 💀

Jeff
Reply to  arthur morgan
27 days ago

they can, but they shouldn’t and they won’t

Dan tm
27 days ago

Wunsch would’ve made the US team with that swim back in 2021 🙂

2021 US Trials -100m Free Final

  1. Abbey Weitzeil (CAL), 53.53
  2. Erika Brown (TNAQ), 53.59
  3. Olivia Smoliga (ABSC), 53.63
  4. Natalie Hinds (ABSC), 53.84
  5. Catie Deloof (CA-Y), 53.87
  6. Allison Schmitt (SUN), 54.12

Yeh,I know I’m stirring the pot and the US sprint depth is pretty strong now,but interesting to see how much they have progressed since 2021.

Troyy
Reply to  Dan tm
27 days ago

Honestly I forgot US Trials were THAT slow in 2021 and now they could feasibly have 4-5 sub 53 at trials.

Dan tm
Reply to  Troyy
26 days ago

For the Australian trials in 2021 , they had 4 under 53 with C2 just outside.

Emma- 52.35
C1 -52.59
Maddy Wilson – 52.76
Meg Harris – 52.92
C2 -53.08
MOC – 53.25

Laps
27 days ago

Excited to see how Wunsch develops in the 100 fly. Aus is looking good in the 100 free for next quad with MOC and Harris young and going PBs. The retirement of McKeon and potentially Throssell will leave a gap in medley relay that Wunsch might need to fill.

Sub13
Reply to  Laps
27 days ago

Throssell just set a PB so I think she continues next year but surely she’ll be gone by LA. Wunsch looks pretty good for now but we will need someone to step up massively to match McKeon

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  Sub13
27 days ago

Sometimes it takes the superstars leaving a vacuum for someone else to step up Steenbergen didn’t reach her potential until Kromowidjojo and Hemskerk retired – so hopefully we have someone who will fill Emma’s fly spot

Andy
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
27 days ago

Emma didn’t reach her free potential for years when she was blocked by C1/C2

AsianAussieAmerican
Reply to  Andy
27 days ago

Aging myself but Petria Thomas is another swimmer that bloomed after Susie ONeill retired.

Last edited 27 days ago by AsianAussieAmerican
Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  AsianAussieAmerican
27 days ago

Yeah, her Athens games was a spectacular end to her career – .3 off being a double individual Olympic champ, and .05 off grabbing the bronze in the 4x200m where she also had the fastest split in the entire field.

Southerly Buster
27 days ago

Wunsch’s season best before this new time of 53.58 was 53.93 which she swam at the Sydney Open earlier this month when she shaved 0.06 off her previous season best.

Hoping Olivia can make the relay squad. She’s already proven she can split 52.6. Would love to see what she could do this year in Paris if she can grab a spot in the Top 6.

Sub13
Reply to  Southerly Buster
27 days ago

Absolutely. In theory she was capable of a 53.1/2 at world juniors last year based on those relay splits. Hoping a 52 flat is on the cards

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Sub13
27 days ago

i’d accept a 52.3 with a safer rt

Sub13
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
27 days ago

Lol I meant a 52 flat start, not a 52.0 haha but now realise it reads like that.

I mean… I won’t be mad if she drops a 52.0 but I’ll be very surprised

Sub13
27 days ago

And just to add Sienna Toohey went a best time in the 50 breast. Would be an age record if Swim Aus recognised age records for stroke 50sz

Credit to Troyy for telling me haha

Oceanian
Reply to  Sub13
27 days ago

Lots of Troyy’s social posts end up as SwimSwam articles lol

Nono
27 days ago

How many sub 53 swims at Trials?

I think just 4
I am hoping it would be 6

Sub13
Reply to  Nono
27 days ago

MOC, Jack and Harris seem like basically guarantees to go 52. McKeon very likely but has had mixed form this season. Both Campbells and Wunsch in with a chance.

I am going to predict 5. The top 4 and one of the Campbells. 6th place is 53.0

commonwombat
Reply to  Nono
27 days ago

Low side of realistic range 3; top side 6. 4 may be the safest bet but 5 would be no surprise.

Very pleasing time from Wunsch as its certainly nudging her down towards the range she will almost certainly need in order to make top 6. Will probably need to elbow her way past at least one Campbell but certainly achievable.

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022 and 2023 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. Currently, Anya is pursuing her B.A. in Economics and a minor in Government & Law at …

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