2017 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, April 9th – Thursday, April 13th
- Brisbane Aquatic Centre
- Prelims at 11am local/Finals at 7:30pm local
- LCM
- Meet Site
- Entry List
- Qualification Criteria
- Meet Preview
- Live Streaming (differs per session)
- Live Results
Day 4 of the 2017 Australian Swimming Championships brought a few new faces into the World Championships-qualifying fold, while seasoned veterans also punched their tickets. So far, the green and gold’s roster ranges in age from the youngest Kaylee McKeown at just 15 years old, to Holly Barratt, who notched her first senior elite roster at 29.
For McKeown, the teen’s silver place finish in the women’s 200m backstroke behind Emily Seebohm tonight was a dream come true. “I went in to the race with an open mind and I can always see the girls next to me and I saw Emily (Seebohm) and Amy (Forrester) out of the corner of my eye,” said McKeown.
“When it came to that last lap (I said to myself) do whatever you can, do whatever you’ve got left and that’s what I did and it got me the result.
“Taylor (her older sister on the squad) and I are always joking around, saying wouldn’t it be amazing to be on the team together and now it’s actually happening, it’s a reality she has always been supporting me, saying we can do it.”
Tonight’s racing was also highlighted by the men’s 100m freestyle, which included the fastest man ever in the event in textile, Cameron McEvoy, as well as the 2016 Olympic champion, Kyle Chalmers. McEvoy wound up on top in 47.91, while Chalmers also qualified in 48.20. McEvoy now tops the world rankings, with Chalmers as #2.
Of his performance, McEvoy commented, “In a blunt sort of way I got the job done; it is now time to focus on getting back in the pool, getting into the gym and lifting some heavy weights to help me over the final 25m so I can focus on the worlds and to get excited for it.
“I knew I could get out there for the first 75 metres and it was just a matter of hanging on for the last 25. Looking back over the week and what happened it the 200m I knew the training I had done would be more beneficial for the sprints but I now have to focus on the areas to improve on.”
Also in that men’s 100m freestyle race was 18-year-old Jack Cartwright, who slammed down a new personal best of 48.43 for bronze after rocking a career-best 48.81 in prelims.
“To swim two PB’s in one day is amazing and I just knew I had to have a go and that’s what I did,” said the Gladstone native.
All quotes courtesy of Swimming Australia.
