The final day of the Australian Short Course Championships saw Alicia Coutts and Ellen Gandy both set new Commonwealth records.
After having a spectacular swim in the 100 IM yesterday, missing Katinka Hosszu’s world record by 26 one-hundredths, Coutts returned to the pool today winning 200 IM setting a new Commonwealth record time of 2:05.82. Coutts breaks Emily Seebohm‘s record of 2:06.24 which she posted earlier this month in Eindhoven at the World Cup.
After winning the 100 butterfly yesterday Ellen Gandy won her second Australian Short Course Championship title in the women’s 200 butterfly in a new Commonwealth record time of 2:02.88. Gandy broke the record of 2:03.19 set by Jemma Lowe at the 2012 World Short Championships in Istanbul.
After winning a silver in the women’s 200 butterfly at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai representing Great Britain Gandy had a disastrous Olympic Games where she placed 17th missing her personal best by over four seconds.
In December Gandy made the decision to represent Australia rather than Great Britain when competing in international waters.
Kenneth To collected his fourth and fifth Australian Short Course Championship titles winning the 100 IM and the 50 freestyle on Sunday. In the 100 IM To broke his own all comers record of 51.64 winning the event in a time of 51.24 just missing his own Australian record of 51.21 which he swam in Berlin earlier this month.
He won the 50 freestyle in a time of 21.33.
After winning both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events Sally Foster was prevented from making the breaststroke sweep by Leiston Pickett who on the 50 breaststroke in a time of 30.12. Foster tied with Coutts for the silver with both swimmers finishing in a time of 30.55.
Jeremy Meyer and Lennard Bremer had an exciting battle in the men’s 200 breaststroke. Meyer held the lead for the entire race, but the 18 year old Bremer made a great push in the second half of the race coming up just short of the win. Meyer won the event in a time of 2:07.26 followed by Bremer who posted a 2:07.37.
20 year old Nathaniel Romeo won the 100 butterfly in a time of 50.73. This is the second Australian Short Course Championship title for Romeo who won the 50 butterfly on Saturday.
Bobby Hurley won the men’s 100 backstroke in a time of 50.41 breaking the 11 year old all comers record of 50.58 set by German Thomas Rupprath in 2002.
After finishing second to Kenneth To in the 100 IM earlier in the evening Travis Mahoney took to the water for his second individual medley event winning the 400 IM in a time of 4:09.19.
Holly Barratt won the 50 backstroke in a time of 26.91.
Kelly Stubbins won the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:55.98. Stubbins finished ahead of Melanie Schlanger who finished second in a time of 1:56.24.
In the final event of the competition Matthew Levings won the men’s 1500 freestyle posting at time of 14:46.90.
… Sorry, I opened this page, had to go away. Came back to it hours later. Posted my comment at which point the page refreshed, and I saw that my point above had already been made. Unfortunately, I can’t delete my earlier post:(
…Gandy started training with Rohan Taylor in, I think, 2007…
Ellen Gandy has trained in Australia since her family moved to Melbourne maybe 7 years ago. It was just too much to combine both schedules.
Here’s hoping Nathaniel Romeo keeps things happening for there are very definite openings in the m100 fly. I can’t believe he is 20 . I remember he & his twin brother when they were sprint demons at 13 from a wine town .( ok their dad probably grew oranges & therefore got them to training ).
How can they be 7 years older when I am only 2.5 max?
Thanks for pointing that out JG