Chalmers Hits 3rd Fastest 200 Free Of Career, McKeown With 58.8 100 Back

NEW SOUTH WALES STATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Swimming is still going on strong down under, as we saw day 2 action of the 2020 New South Wales State Open Championships. Kyle Chalmers, Emma McKeon, and Kaylee McKeown were among the elite performers who brought the heat during day 1 and the trio, plus more, were back in action today at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center (SOPAC).

For 25-year-old Olympian McKeon, we reported how she nailed a new Aussie All Comers Record in the women’s 100m fly to take tonight’s gold in that event. Hitting the wall in 56.36, McKeon logged the 3rd fastest time of her career, overtaking legendary Dutch Olympian Inge de Bruijn’s All Comers Record from 2000 in the process. You can read more about McKeon’s world rankings topper here.

Later in tonight’s session, McKeon dueled with Cate Campbell, yesterday’s 100m freestyler who was initially DQ’d but reinstated for silver in that event behind McKeon.

Tonight it was C1 who got the upper hand in the women’s 50m free event, with the Olympian clocking 24.19 to McKeon’s 24.29. The pair were neck-and-neck, as well as separated a bit from the rest of the field, which saw Marion’s Madi Wilson clinch bronze in 24.74.

C1’s effort there checks-in as her 2nd fastest of the season, sitting only behind the 24.02 scorcher she put up last August on the FINA World Cup circuit in Singapore.

As for McKeon, tonight’s result earned her the 2nd fastest time of her career. She owns a personal best of 24.25 in this event from last year’s World Championships Trials, so this output here is a strong indicator of the kind of fitness this woman is at months out from the still-scheduled Olympic Games.

Rounding out the top 3 was Wilson, who was a backstroke finalist in Rio, but has been making major strides in the freestyle set since. She was a member of the prelims 4x100m freestyle relay in Gwangju, helping put the green and gold in position to eventually take world Championships gold there in that event.

More than that, however, Wilson can call herself a World Record holder as a member of Australia’s record-setting 4x200m freestyle relay at that same meet.

Tonight, Wilson was impressive yet again, dropping under the 25-second barrier in this women’s 50m free for the first time in her career. Entering this meet, Wilson’s PB was represented by the 25.06 she posted at the FINA World Cup in Tokyo just last August.

2019-2020 LCM WOMEN 50 FREE

CateAUS
Campbell
08/15
24.02
2Liu
Xiang
CHN24.0301/19
3Sarah
Sjostrom
SWE24.1401/24
4Michelle
Coleman
SWE24.2610/11
5Emma
McKeon
AUS24.2903/14
6Maria
Kameneva
RUS24.3211/01
7Ranomi
Kromowidjojo
NED24.3801/19
8Simone
Manuel
USA24.4312/05
9Bronte
Campbell
AUS24.4711/01
10Erika
Brown
USA24.5701/18
View Top 26»

The men’s 200m free was a thrilling display of versatility by 21-year-old Marion swimmer Kyle Chalmers. The 2016 Olympic champion in the men’s 100m freestyle already won that event yesterday in a quick 48.28 and doubled up with a gold in the 200m fly. In the latter event, he powered his way to a huge new PB, by almost 2 seconds, hitting 1:57.35

Chalmers collected his 3rd individual gold of these NSW Championships by taking the men’s 200m freestyle, where the lizard king topped the field by almost a full second.

After laying low with a prelim effort of 1:49.64, Chalmers broke through with splits of 52.33/54.78 to clinch the meet title in a speedy 1:46.12.

He took Commonwealth Games gold in 1:45.56 while he notched 1:45.76 in the Trials meet last year. As such, tonight’s 1:46.12 is his 3rd fastest ever and the man ranks just outside the top 5 performers in the world this season.

2019-2020 LCM MEN 200 FREE

DanasLTU
Rapsys
08/16
1:44.38
2Sun
Yang
CHN1:45.5501/18
3Dominik
Kozma
HUN1:45.7708/04
4Katsuhiro
Matsumoto
JPN1:45.8201/24
5Townley
Haas
USA1:45.9212/06
View Top 26»

Behind Chalmers was Alex Graham of Bond who put up a tie of 1:47.11, while his teammate, 19-year-old Elijah Winnington, rounded out the top 3 in 1:47.55. Winnington is the current World Junior Record holder in this event with the 1:46.14 he logged at the 2018 Queensland Championships.

Winnington wound up taking the men’s 800m free gold tonight in a time of 8:01.66, narrowly defeating visiting Indian swimmer Kushagra Rawat. Rawat touched just .05 later in 8:01.71 for silver.

Following up on her big-time 2:06.38 200m backstroke performance from last night, 18-year-old USC Spartan athlete Kaylee McKeown busted out a huge 58.84 to take the women’s 100m backstroke on night 2.

She established herself as the one to beat with her morning swim of 1:00.44 to land lane 4 before splitting 29.04/29.80 to rock the only sub-59 second time of the field. Behind her was Olympic icon Emily Seebohm, who notched a sub-minute performance of 59.77, while short course World Record holder Minna Atherton produced 59.90 for bronze.

McKeown’s effort tonight represents just her 2nd outing into the 58-zone, led by her personal best of 58.52 posted at this year’s South Australian Championships. That time ranks her #2 in the world this season, sitting only behind American Regan Smith, who rocked a 58.18 earlier this month.

Southport Olympics’ Tristan Hollard registered the fastest time of his career tonight in the men’s 200m backstroke. He took the gold here in 1:56.98, getting under 1:57 for the first time ever.

The 23-year-old’s previous personal best was symbolized by the 1:57.17 posted at last year’s Australian National Championships. However, via splits of 57.76/59.22, Hollard scored a time of 1:56.98 to hold off Bradley Woodward, who touched in 1:57.45 for silver.

Hollard’s outing tonight checks him in as the 8th fastest performer in the world this season.

2019-2020 LCM MEN 200 BACK

RyanUSA
Murphy
03/06
1:55.22
2Ryosuke
Irie
JPN1:55.3501/24
3Mitchell
Larkin
AUS1:55.9708/02
4Keita
Sunama
JPN1:56.0508/28
5Jacob
Pebley
USA1:56.3708/02
6Matteo
Restivo
ITA1:56.4712/14
7Adam
Telegdy
HUN1:56.4812/19
8Luca
Mencarini
ITA1:56.5812/14
9Guangyuan
Li
CHN1:56.8810/19
10Tristan
Hollard
AUS1:56.9803/14
View Top 26»

Additional Winners:

  • TSS Aquatic’s Kiah Melverton won the women’s 400m freestyle by almost 3 seconds, posting her 2nd fastest time of the season in 4:09.23. She is ranked #4 in the world right now with the 4:06.71 posted at the FINA World Cup in Tokyo last August.
  • 23-year-old Edward Marks got it done for gold in the men’s 50m fly, clocking 24.27 for the win.
  • World Championships medalist in the 200m breast, Matt Wilson, produced a time of 1:00.39 to take 100m breast gold here in Sydney tonight.
  • Bond swimmer Jenna Strauch took the women’s 200m breast in 2:25.97, doubling up on her 100m breast victory from last night. Strauch’s effort here represents the 4th fastest time of her career.
  • The men’s 200m IM saw Se-Bom Lee snag gold in 2:02.20, knocking exactly a second off of his morning heat result.

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Samesame
4 years ago

Whoa ! I really really need the Olympic trials to go ahead in June to watch him. 😂. But safety first

Troyy
4 years ago

Another PB for Kaylee in 50 bk 27.57

Troyy
4 years ago

🤯🤯 Wonder what he could do fully tapered??

Vic
4 years ago

Still competing?

commonwombat
Reply to  Vic
4 years ago

Meet finishes tomorrow. Seems for the most part to have been “closed doors”. Realistically, it will be the last meet we see down here for forseeable future.

Ragnar
4 years ago

Who will do it better this summer, Kyle with his 22.XX/23.XX=46.XX, or Caelebs 21.XX/24.XX=46.XX?So cool to see the overlapping race of two all time talents nearing their peak.

sven
4 years ago

“Chalmers collected his 3rd individual gold of these NSW Championships by taking the men’s 200m freestyle, where the lizard king topped the field by almost a full second.”

I was not aware of this nickname but I fully support Kyle Chalmers living his truth.

Gheko
Reply to  sven
4 years ago

He has a collection of lizards and other reptiles, hence the nickname.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Gheko
4 years ago

any Geckos ?

Troyy
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
4 years ago

Probably not intentionally. Asian geckos are everywhere where I am.

Troyy
4 years ago

Does anyone know if the Age Champs will be rescheduled later in the year or are they just cancelled for the year?

It’s nice to see Maddy’s 50/100 times gradually creeping down ready for the 4×100.

Haig Buckingham backed up his age record in the 50 breast yesterday with a 1:04.54 that slots him in at #6 in the age rankings.

commonwombat
Reply to  Troyy
4 years ago

Realistically, the AUS W4X100 squad looks like comprising the same 5 from last year (C1&2, McKeon, Wilson & Throssell unless the likes of Harris can make the jump into the sub54s.

Given her “best ever in season” times in her events to date, will be very curious as to whether this will carry through to McKeon’s 200fr. Given Wilson has essentially mirrored her with regards to “in season PBs, she may have someone providing her with some semblance of competition in Titmus’ absence.

Troyy
Reply to  commonwombat
4 years ago

Wilson faster in 200 free prelims than to win the title last year (1:57.69).

Samesame
Reply to  Troyy
4 years ago

It would make sense to include junior team “trials” with Olympic trials in June. If they go ahead .

SHRKB8
Reply to  Troyy
4 years ago

TROYY, Only notifications so far say, Aus Age Cancelled for 2020.

Samesame
4 years ago

Great night of swimming . 😁

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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