Mitch Larkin Talks 200 IM/200 Back Double For Commonwealth Trials

2018 VICTORIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, January 12th – Sunday, January 14th
• Melbourne Sports Aquatic Center (MSAC)
• LCM
• Prelims 9am local/Finals 6pm local
• Meet Central
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• Day 1 Recap
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While competing on night 2 of the 2018 Victorian Open Championships, former world champion Mitch Larkin performed an impressive double, taking titles in both the 200m IM and 200m backstroke. The 24-year-old St. Peters Western swimmer accomplished the same feat last month at the Queensland Championships, establishing a new personal best of 1:58.89 in the 200m IM to set-up a possible double header come the Commonwealth Games this summer.

In the video below, courtesy of Hanson Media, Larkin talks through his thoughts on tackling the 200m IM and 200m backstroke on the same night, as well as how his new training environment is supporting his renewed outlook. After trying out several different coaches post-Rio, Larkin settled back at St. Peters Western, albeit under a new coach Den Boxall after longtime head Michael Bohl moved on to take the helm of Griffith University.

Meet recap originally reported by Retta Race:

It was deja vu for Mitch Larkin, as the 24-year-old double gold medalist from the 2015 World Championships took on the same double tonight as he did at last month’s Queensland Championships. At that meet, Larkin scored wins across the 200m IM and 200m backstroke, notching a new personal best in the former event in an impressive 1:58.89.

Larkin wasn’t too far off that mark tonight, clocking 1:59.95 to win the men’s 200m IM race by over 3 solid seconds. With little rest between events, Larkin then registered a winning time of 1:57.70 to take the men’s 200m backstroke for the same double he clinched last month.

“I did the double in Queensland States last month and to do it  again is very satisfying; training is going really well and I’m looking forward to a good year,” said Larkin, who returned to St. Peters under new Head Coach Dean Boxall after trying out a stint under Simon Cusack at Commercial.

“It’s been a real confidence booster; I’m practicing the double because I’ll probably do it at Trials again.

“They are two of my most favourable events and it’s just unfortunate they fall on the same night but this has been good practice and good racing.

“It‘s been a positive move to Dean and also being back at St Peters Western; Dean’s a great coach; very intelligent, very full on but I’m really enjoying the swimming and the training, it really suits me well and I’m loving it,” Larkin said after the race.