McKeon Puts Up World’s Second Fastest 100 Butterfly at NSW Champs

2016 NSW STATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, March 4th – Sunday, March 6th
• Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center (SOPAC)
• Prelims at 9am local (5pm Eastern night before)/Finals at 6pm local Thurs/Fri (2am Eastern), 5:30pm local Sat (1:30am Eastern)
• Entry Lists
• Timeline of Events
• Meet Preview/Day 1 Prelims Recap
• Results

Women’s Events

Emma McKeon started out the second evening of the New South Wales State Championships with an outstanding swim to win the women’s 100 butterfly. McKeon beat here lifetime best of 57.27 to win the event in a 57.24, posting world’s second fastest time behind Sarah Sjostrom‘s 56.37.

McKeon trailed Alicia Coutts by 12 one-hundredths of a second at the 50 meter mark turning in a time of 26.97. She out swam Coutts in the final 50 meters splitting a 30.27. Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark also passed Coutts in the second half of the race taking the silver in a time of 57.40. Coutts finished in third recording a time of 57.53.

The three women put up the second, third and fourth fastest times in the world.

Bronte Campbell, who has been recovering from a hip injury, posted the third fastest time in the world winning the women’s 50 freestyle in a time of 24.37. “I’ve been really, really pleased,” Campbell said.

“When I started the year I was operating with my hip at about 10 per cent kick-wise in the pool. It wasn’t looking very good. But it is really promising having good swims both here and in Perth. Considering how we started the year, I am really pleased with how the last few weeks have been going.”

Ottesen finished second touching in a time of 24.77 followed by McKeon who hit the wall in a time of 25.03. 

Cate Campbell was not able to compete on Saturday due to illness, the same illness that kept Bronte from competing on Friday.

World Championships bronze medalist Rikke Moller Pedersen of Denmark was able to beat out world champion Kanako Watanabe of Japan in the women’s 200 breaststroke. It was a tight race from start to finish as Pedersen led at the halfway mark turning in a time of 1:09.57 followed by Georgia Bohl who hit the wall in a 1:09.64 and Watanabe who touched in a time of 1:09.73. Pedersen separated herself from the other two women in the third 50 meters eventually finishing first in a time of 2:23.55, which places her sixth in the world rankings.

Watanabe passed Bohl in the second half of the race finishing in a time of 2:24.04 followed by Bohl who posted a 2:25.61.

Minna Atherton continued to impress with her performance in the 100 backstroke. Atherton posted a 59.73 and was able to get her hand on the wall before World Championships silver medalist Madi Wilson, who finished in a 59.87. This was a role reversal from what we saw yesterday when Wilson grabbed the gold in the 200 backstroke while Atherton took the silver.

Hayley Baker finished third in a time of 1:00.94.

Jessica Ashwood took the women’s 400 freestyle in a time of 4:06.07 beating Lauren Boyle of New Zealand by over two seconds. Boyle finished second in a time of 4:08.91 followed by Remy Fairweather who touched in a time of 4:10.37.

Men’s Events

Once again Cameron McEvoy was the standout in the men’s events. Yesterday McEvoy took the men’s 100 freestyle in a thrilling race with Kyle Chalmers. Today he returned to the pool winning the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:46.85, finishing just off his season’s best of 1:46.44, which he posted in December at the Queensland Championships.

McEvoy, who recorded a 1:49.99 at this event last year, was focusing on the first half of the race on Saturday evening, “I’ve gone 1:46 three times since December which is great,” said McEvoy. “Last time I was 1:46 in season was leading into Commonwealth Games trials. I’ve surprised myself by being able to go 1:46 tonight.”

“The main aim was definitely that first 100. I haven’t been able to attack that since Commonwealth Games and tonight I managed to hold on technically and it wasn’t too bad of a drop off and the overall time was satisfying.”

He took the first 100 meters out in a time of 51.03 returning home in a time of 55.82. Daniel Smith, who was over a second behind McEvoy in the first half of the race finished second in a time of 1:47.32 followed by Kurt Herzog who touched in a time of 52.13.

Justin James was able to hold off a fast charging Juran Mizohata to win the men’s 200 IM in a time of 2:00.04. Going into the final 50 meters James had a two second lead on Mizohata. The Japanese swimmer out swam James in the final 50 meters by over two seconds, but did not have enough to over take him finishing in a time of 2:00.07.

Travis Mahoney finished second in a time of 2:01.58.

World Champion Mitch Larkin dominated the men’s 200 backstroke posting a time of 1:55.08. Despite being almost two seconds off his season’s best Larkin finished over two seconds ahead of the field. Joshua Beaver finished second in a time of 1:57.79 followed by Ashley Delaney who touched in a time of 1:59.05.

Other winners on Saturday included:

• Men’s 100 breaststroke – Jack Packard – 1:01.01
• Men’s 50 butterfly – David Lester – 23.90