2019 SWIMMING AUSTRALIA WORLD TRIALS
- Sunday, June 9th – Friday, June 14th
- Brisbane Aquatic Centre
- LCM
- Meet Site
- Swimming Australia 2019 World Championships – Selection Policy
- Start List
Analyzing the start list for the 2019 Swimming Australia World Trials, an absence in the women’s 200m fly by Olympian Madeleine (Maddie) Groves is certainly notable.
The 24-year-old Griffith University swimmer earned silver in the women’s 200m fly at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Her time of 2:04.88 in Rio fell just .03 shy of gold, with Spain’s Mireia Belmonte getting the gold medal touch in 2:04.85 instead.
Groves raced the 200m fly event a handful of times in 2017, including at the Mare Nostrum stops of Barcelona and Canet where she produced efforts of 2:07.90 and 2:09.44, respectively. The Michael Bohl-trained athlete also raced the event at the 2018 Australian Trials, though her 2:10.67 performance rendered her 5th and out of the event for the home country-hosted Commonwealth Games.
Instead, Groves qualified for the 100m fly where she ultimately took silver in the Gold Coast in a time of 57.19.
Groves had a tough 2018 as a whole however, contesting a potential suspension from competition due to missing 3 doping tests over a 12-month period, as well as having undergone surgery for endometriosis. She was cleared of any wrongdoing in the doping situation and bounced back by being named Sportswoman of the Year at the Bond University Blues and Sports Awards last year.
Opting out the 200 fly here at these World Championships Trials, Groves will also tackle the 100m free, where she is seeded 7th in 54.18 and gunning for a relay spot for Gwangju. She certainly has a shot of making the relay, but will need to fend off the likes of Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, Brianna Throssell and Madi Wilson behind the Campbell sisters to do so.
Opting out of the 200 fly is a sign of good mental health.
She hasn’t swam one since Rio. May well be that she’s dropped it or hasn’t done the work for it. Granted finishing top 2 in W200FLY in AUS would not be a major strain but the QTs set are steep ones and would find her out.
pretty sure when my kid did a fly clinic with her, she said she was done with 200 fly. she has a better chance in the 100 fly