Saturday at the 2014 Australian National Championships in Brisbane was ‘record day,’ with Australian Records of all shapes-and-sizes going down in the finals. With the exception of the men’s 100 fly final perhaps, Saturday saw electric results from across the board in the pool.
Men’s 200 Back – FINALS
That began with the men’s 200 backstroke final, where 20-year old St. Peter’s Western swimmer Mitchell Larkin broke the Australian National Record as well as the Commonwealth Record on Saturday in finals. He swam a 1:55.26, which cracked Ash Delaney’s 2009 Aussie Record of 1:55.82, and Britain’s James Goddard’s swim of 1:5.58 respectively: both from 2009.
[ranking title=”2014 LCM Men 200 Back TYR World Ranking” top=10]He was followed by Matson Lawson (1:56.35) and Josh Beaver (1:56.83) onto the podium, with all three qualifying for the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pac Championships this summer. All three also moved into the world’ top 5 in 2014.
Ash Delaney, the former World Record holder, took 4th in 1:57.50.
Also noteworthy in the A-Final was 16-year old Nicholas Groenewald from Nunawading, who swam a 2:01.81 for 7th. That’s within a second of the Australian Age Record, which he might get at their Age Championships next week.
Women’s 800 Free – TIMED FINAL
Jessica Ashwood from SOPAC won her 2nd-straight women’s 800 free title, and bettered her winning swim from last year by two seconds with an 8:22.51 in the women’s race. While she led this race virtually the entire way, Rock City 16-year old Alanna Bowles hung with her stroke-for-stroke over the first 400 meters.
Ashwood, who at 20 is a relative veteran compared to Bowles, rode out that early challenge and dropped-the-hammer on the last 200, splitting a 2:04-low to make the final margin 8 seconds.
Bowles wound up in 2nd place in 8:30.52.
Laura Crockart was also competitive early in this race before falling off to an 8:34.54.
Women’s 100 Breaststroke – FINALS
While not a total upset in the women’s 100 breaststroke, Indooroopilly’s Lorna Tonks’ win in the women’s 100 breaststroke wouldn’t have been the most likely winner out of the three big contenders in this 100 breaststroke. At least not until her great semi-finals swim, followed by another almost-as-fast finals swim of 1:07.31 for the title.
Tonks has been in Australia’s elite swimming ranks for a decade (she actually almost qualified for the 2004 Olympics, if you can believe that, at only 15), and after multiple retirements and returns, she’ll have a chance at the Commonwealth Games team, at least.
Leiston Pickett took 2nd in what was a very tight final, going 1:07.56 and fighting off Marion’s Sally Foster (1:07.73).
The youth resided in the bottom part of this final primarily: 20-year old Tessa Wallace was a 1:08.14, 16-year old Georgia Bohl was a 1:08.22, and 19-year old Taylor McKeown was a 1:08.53 to occupy the 4th-6th place positions.
Women’s 200 Fly – FINALS
This women’s 200 fly group that was so crowded a couple of years ago with the likes of Stephanie Rice and Jessicah Schipper has now suddenly cleared out in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, Madeline Groves was the winner, but in a time that didn’t excite the Australians in a way that they’re used to.
In 2014, though, she brought that fire back with a 2:06.95 win, more than a two second improvement over last year. That swim will put her onto th eCommonwealth Games and Pan Pacs teams, and at just 18 gives her a first career Australian National title.
The runner-up in the race was Ellen Gandy, the former British Olympian, in 2:08.60. That swim will not guarantee her a spot at the Commonwealth Games, as she’ll have to continue to wait and see how many swimmers make SAL “A” standards before learning her fate. Through the penultimate day, it looks like there’s going to be plenty of room for some of the “B” qualifiers, but there’s no guarantees at this point.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke – FINALS (non-qualifying event)
After simply toying with the field in the prelims and semi-finals, Christian Sprenger swam a 26.74 to just barely miss Cameron van der Burgh’s World Record in the men’s 50 breaststroke. 26.67 is the mark set by the South African in 2009, and Sprenger’s ties another van der Burgh swim as the second-best of all time. This is also the fastest time ever done in textile, clearing a 26.87 done by Brazilian Felipe Franca in 2012 at Maria Lenk.
At any rate, while this swim won’t formally earn him any qualification for the summer’s big meets, it will strike fear into the world headed toward a pair of potential battles with van der Burgh in the race this summer, as well as the 2015 World Championships.
Max Ireland was 2nd in 28.07, and Tommy Sucipto was 3rd in 28.18.
Women’s 100 Free – FINALS
The Campbell sisters once again swept the top two spots in the women’s 100 free, with Cate Campbell swimming to a 52.68 and Bronte Campbell touching 2nd in 53.02.
Again showing little mercy for the sake of this just being a trials meet, Cate broke her own Australian All-Comers Record of 52.83, which is to say her finals mark was the fastest ever done on Australian soil.
Emma McKeon has earned yet another individual swim at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pac Championships, should she choose to exercise them all, with a 3rd-place finish in 53.57. This is her 3rd individual qualifying mark of the meet, to go with two possible relay swims as well.
Brittany Elmslie and Mel Schlanger tied for 4th in the event in 54.06; per the official meet standards, this could result in a swim-off if there’s not enough spots for them both to go (Schlanger is already qualified for the meet for the 800 free relay, probably).
Men’s 100 Fly – FINALS
Southport’s Christopher Wright rose to the top of the men’s 100 fly, touching out top seed Tommaso D’Orsogna for a spot on the Australian medley relay at the Commonwealth Games. Wright went 52.16, just .05 up on D’Orsogna.
D’Orsogna, a 23-year-old from Commercial, led by a solid eight tenths at the halfway mark, but Wright found another gear coming home to rocket from fifth to first in a hurry.
Jayden Hadler made things a close three-man battle, going 52.33 for third place. He sat second at the 50-turn and almost ran down D’Orsogna for runner-up honors.
Nathaniel Romeo and Grant Irvine were also right in the hunt, going 52.51 and 52.55, respectively.
QUALIFYING STATUS AFTER SATURDAY
Note: we have pared down the definitions of these selection criteria to what will realistically happen at the meet. To read full selection criteria, click here. Note that at the Commonwealth Games, the winners of the 100 strokes and the 1-2-3-4 finishers of the 100 and 200 freestyles, not already qualified, take the same priority. For Pan Pacs, the freestylers have a higher priority. All will likely be taken with rosters of 26 men and 26 women available.
Priority 1: “SAL A Times”
women
Emma McKeon (100 free, 200 free, 100 fly, 400 free relay, 800 free relay)
Bronte Barratt (200 free, 800 free relay)
Ellen Gandy (100 fly)
Alicia Coutts (100 fly, 200 IM, 400 medley relay)
Cate Campbell (50 free, 100 free, 400 free relay)
Bronte Campbell (50 free, 100 free, 400 free relay)
Melanie Schlanger (50 free, 100 free, 400 free relay)
Taylor McKeown (200 breast)
Emily Seebohm (100 back, 200 back, 400 medley relay; 200 IM (“B” time))
Belinda Hocking (100 back)
Meagen Nay (100 back, 200 back)
Belinda Hocking (200 back)
Jessica Ashwood (800 free)
men
David McKeon (200 free, 400 free, 800 free relay)
Mack Horton (400 free)
Jordan Harrison (400 free)
Christian Sprenger (100 breast, 200 breast, 400 medley relay)
Cameron McEvoy (100 free, 200 free, 400 free relay, 400 medley relay, 800 free relay)
Thomas Fraser-Holmes (200 free, 400 IM, 800 free relay)
Mitch Larkin (100 back, 200 back, 400 medley relay)
Ben Treffers (100 back)
James Magnussen (100 free, 400 free relay)
Matson Lawson (200 back)
Josh Beaver (200 back, plus 100 back with a “B” standard)
Priority 2: Relay Swimmers
women
Brittany Elmslie (100 free – for relay, 200 free – for relay)
Meagen Nay (200 free – for relay)
Lorna Tonks (100 breast – for relay)
men
Ned McKendry (200 free – for relay)
Tommaso D’Orsogna (100 free – for relay)
Kenneth To (100 free – for relay)
Christopher Wright (100 fly – for relay)
Priority 3: Top 3 Under “B” standard (Commonwealth Games only, if the roster has room, unless they are to go under the SAL “A” standard there, which earns them a swim at Pan Pacs).
women
Keryn McMaster (400 IM)
Ellen Gandy (200 fly, 400 IM)
Jessica Penngellly (400 IM)
Meagen Nay (200 free – individual at CWG, with opportunity to qualify for PP)
Sally Foster (100 breast, 200 breast)
Tessa Wallace (200 breast)
Kotuku NGawati (200 IM)
Alanna Bowles (800 free)
Laura Crockart (800 free)
Leiston Pickett (100 breast)
men
Daniel Tranter (200 breast)
Travis Mahoney (400 IM)
Jared Gilliland (400 IM)
Grant Irvine (200 Fly)
Mitchell Pratt (200 Fly)
Tommasso D’Orsogna (100 fly)
Jayden Hadler (100 fly)
Semi-Finals
- Eamon Sullivan rocketed to the top of the world rankings in the 50 free, going 21.65 to win his semi-final. That was a huge improvement from his smooth prelims swim of 22.20, and puts him nearly a half-second ahead of the field heading into the final. James Magnussen and Cameron McEvoy are set for another showdown after that outstanding 100 free race. Magnussen sits second at 22.07 and McEvoy is just a hundredth back in third at 22.08.
- Emily Seebohm continues to rule the backstrokes, going 27.96 to take the top spot in the women’s 50 back. The 21-year-old Seebohm is already faster than she went in winning this event last year, and is now only three tenths off the all-comers record and four tenths off the national mark. Madison Wilson is second with her teammate Meagen Nay third. Wilson was 28.25, Nay 28.74.
- Seebohm came off of that backstroke race to help lead the Nudgee Brothers relay to a national title in the 400 free relay. Seebohm led off in 55.76, and the team also got a 55.57 anchor leg from 19-year-old Mikkayla Sheridan to go 3:44.44 and win by over two seconds. Sydney University was second at 3:46.72, getting an even-faster leadoff leg from Melissa Mitchell at 55.18.
Men’s 100 fly final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHV10F9pi-w
Looking forward to the US Swimmers getting out of the 25yard “bath-tub” racing and getting some solid LCM times on the board – 25 yard season is way too long!
I totally agree!!
And that’s why this Aussie trials is a breath of fresh air after months and months of news about SCY times, which for international audience are frankly quite meaningless, although for Americans it’s all tradition and history.
Bathtub! 😆
When I wrote that word on swimswam 2 years ago about the 25-yard pool, most of the US fans bashed me!
I respect the US culture of swimming in yards but I agree with you. The SCY season is way too long. When I see that Michael Andrew will still swim in yards in 10 days, it’s very weird. 🙄
Haha – so funny! Just as well they don’t run a YMCA 20 Yard competition because I’ve swum in a few of those a old pools. “Hand-basin” swimming – 80 yard IM – could be my best ever event ;).
On a serious note, I do understand the history side of SCY swimming, I just think the entire SCY Competition season should be timed to close after NCAA Div I Champs (where 99% of the Top Times are swum).
The crazy thing is this : even if they have a too long 25 yard season , they still win The BIG meets in LC meters for years now . Imagine if they were swimming as much long course seasons as many other nations Like Australia ???
I agree – I can’t wait to see them get into it at Mesa GP. USA Swimming is awesome!
Here’s the split for the mens 400 MR:
Aaron Peirsol (52.19)
Eric Shanteau (58.57)
Michael Phelps (49.72)
David Walters (46.80)
For USA to break the WR in Rio:
– Grevers need to split 52.00 or faster; can they do it? Yes, if the race were in 2012. But Grevers will be 31 in 2016 Rio. It is getting less and less likely for swimmers to swim PB when they are over 30, unless your name is Dara Torres.
Ryan Murphy may be able to do it though, if he increases his rate of improvement in the LCM 100 back.
– Cordes need to split 58.low or preferably 58 flat to offset the deficit… Read more »
Not as impossible as you might think McEvoy and Fraser-holmes are 1:45 mid flat start aready and are improving rapidly. And Mack Hortin went 1:45 on a relay and he’s really young and will improve dramatically. and with Mckeon, Graham, and possibly Magnusson, I think that by Rio, Australia could have 4 guys capable of sub 1:45 on a relay.
And if James Roberts can get back to were he was (47 high before London) the 4X100m freestyle record could also be in danger as well
The reason I don’t think they’ll break it is because they all have to put together those perfect races at the same time. The big part of being able to break it is where and how they swim it. When the US set then barely re-broke the record in 08 and 09, they had a few members who did a lot of races.
Phelps and Lochte could’ve been faster if they weren’t so worn out. The AUS men would need to be fresh and all focused on the race if they have a shot to break it.
400 Medley is the most likely men’s relay to go down, but it’d still be really hard. AUS could outsplit the Br/Fr legs,… Read more »
Sprenger’s stroke is so fun to watch. I think his stroke is better suited for the 50 and 100 than the 200. If only he swam in the us…23 low/49????
Australia is looking to have an AMAZING girls 4x100free.Fine tunning the changes, we will probably see all girls in 52 range(i believe Schlanger can do much more than 54-or 53.78 she blasted in semis).WR is only a matter of time.
Schlanger blasted 52.6 in the London free relay final.Yes, if they swim their best or close to it, the aussie girls should all split 52 in the relays.
And for some reason, in the past decade the aussie girls far outperformed their male team mates when it comes to swim best time in the relays.
And if I were the australian coaches, for this relay I’d go with:
Cate Campbell – Bronte Campbell – Emma McKeon – Melanie Schlanger
If all four girls perform their best or anywhere near their best, each one of them should split 52+
That would be fantastic if the rubber suited 400 FR and 800 FR WRs (to Australia and USA respectively) are broken this year or next year in Kazan. Then that would make all women relay WRs textile!
Meanwhile, I can’t see any of the men rubber suited relay WRs broken this year, next year or even in 2016 Rio.
Australian men’s 4×200 if all the dust settles in the right places.
The Mens’ 4×200 is nearly impossible to break at this time. USA had 3 swimmers split 1:44, one of which was Phelps on the lead-off. The other split was a 1:45 mid. Right now, it appears that Australia has nobody that can go 1:44. McEvoy and Holmes can record two 1:45 lows but after that Mckeon is probably a 1:46 low and after that maybe Horton with a 1:46 high? Heck, USA had 3 1:45 mids and Lochte a 1:44 high last year. Berens is gone, but they always come up with someone else.
By Rio, they will have at least 2 1:44s, and and 2 more 1:45 low, if not faster.
Ummm…. Horton already split 1:45 in last year Junior Worlds.
I’m sure by 2016 he can split 1:44 along with mcEvoy. And yeah that still will not break the WR.
That 800 free men’s WR is a very tough one to beat . Even in London with Phelps in great shape + Lochte , Berens and Dwyer , they didn’t come very close to it . It’s one of the toughest to beat today with the Men’s 400 free WR .
Awesome for Sullivan
Agreed.
A big chance for him at Commonwealth Games.In Pan Pacs, he will have to step up with Adrian and Earvin(dont know if Cielo will go there, he is aiming World Short Course Champs).
Most definitely, burying the lede on that one. (Not as big as Sprenger’s swim, but still, pretty sweet.)
That’s too bad that Australians are still in awe of Commonwealth games which makes it popular and thus targeted by athletes eapwcially for financial and commercial purposes.
Because I think Australian swimmers should make the pan pacs as the main target instead of Commonwealth games where Australia will win majority individual events and sweep all relays. IMHO Australia makes Commonwealth games to make them feel good about themselves.
If only Australia would make pan pacs the main target, I believe they can break the women 4×100 free WR in Pan pacs what with the competition with USA. Australia could have gotten the WR last year had Schlanger been healthy or Elmslie not dabbling in 100 fly.