Out Of The 24 Women Under 53 Seconds In The 100 Free, 8 Are Australian

2022 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

Top 8:

  1. Mollie O’Callaghan- 52.49
  2. Shayna Jack– 52.60
  3. Meg Harris– 53.09
  4. Madi Wilson– 53.19
  5. Ariarne Titmus- 53.68
  6. Brianna Throssell- 53.82
  7. Leah Neale- 54.21
  8. Rebecca Jacobsen- 54.93

The depth of Australian women’s sprinting showed up and showed out once more in the 100 free at Australian trials. Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, and Meg Harris rounded out the top three, and their times also made them the #1, #2, and #3 ranked swimmers in the world for the 2021-22 season in this event.

2021-2022 LCM Women 100 Free

2Shayna
Jack
AUS52.6003/18
3Sarah
Sjostrom
SWE52.8006/23
4Torri
Huske
USA52.9206/23
5Emma
McKeon
AUS52.9408/02
View Top 27»

In addition, O’Callaghan and Jack’s times of 52.49 and 53.09 respectively make them the eighth and eleventh fastest performers of all time in the women’s 100 free.

But what’s more impressive is that they are now the seventh and eighth Australian women to go under 53 seconds in this event. In other words, 8 out of the 24 women who have been sub-53 in the 100 free are Australian. This is the most out of any country, as the rest of this group of elite sprinters consists of 3 from the United States, 2 from the Netherlands, 2 from Great Britain, 2 from Canada, 1 from Germany, 1 from Japan 1 from Denmark, 1 from Sweden, 1 from Hong Kong, 1 from China, and 1 from France.

List of Women Who Have Gone Sub-53 In The 100 Free:

  1. Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden- 51.71 (2017)
  2. Emma McKeon, Australia- 51.96 (2021)
  3. Cate Campbell, Australia- 52.03 (2018)
  4. Simone Manuel, United States- 52.04 (2019)
  5. Britta Steffen, Germany- 52.07 (2009)
  6. Bronte Campbell, Australia- 52.27 (2018)
  7. Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong- 52.27 (2021)
  8. Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia- 52.49 (2022)
  9. Mallory Comerford, United States- 52.59 (2017)
  10. Penny Oleksiak, Canada- 52.59 (2021)
  11. Shayna Jack, Australia- 52.60 (2022)
  12. Libby Lenton, Australia- 52.62 (2009)
  13. Femke Heemskerk, Netherlands- 52.69 (2015)
  14. Pernille Blume, Denmark- 52.69 (2017)
  15. Taylor Ruck, Canada- 52.72 (2018)
  16. Charlotte Bonnet, France- 52.74 (2018)
  17. Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Netherlands- 52.75 (2012)
  18. Anna Hopkin, Great Britain- 52.75 (2021)
  19. Madi Wilson, Australia- 52.76 (2021)
  20. Rikako Ikee, Japan- 52.79 (2018)
  21. Fran Halsall, Great Britain- 52.87 (2009)
  22. Zhang Yufei, China- 52.90 (2020)
  23. Meg Harris, Australia- 52.92 (2021)
  24. Abbey Weitzeil, United States- 52.99 (2021)

Keep in mind, this 100 free performance was done by the Aussies without their biggest stars, as Emma McKeon, Cate Campbell, and Bronte Campbell were not at trials and will not race at Worlds. We mentioned in our relay preview that their lack of a presence wouldn’t be a problem for Australia’s 4×100 free relay in Budapest, but the performances in the 100 free tonight give us even greater confidence that the country will head into the relay as heavy favorites.

Here’s how they compare with the USA and Canada after their respective trials:

AUSTRALIA UNITED STATES CANADA
Trials Top 4 Trials Top 4 Trials Top 4
Mollie O’Callaghan- 52.49 Torri Huske – 53.35 Kayla Sanchez – 53.68
Shayna Jack– 52.60 Claire Curzan – 53.58 Penny Oleksiak – 53.70 (prelims)
Meg Harris– 53.09 Erika Brown – 53.59 Taylor Ruck – 53.99
Madi Wilson– 53.19 Natalie Hinds – 53.65 Rebecca Smith – 55.21 (prelims)
Aggregate – 3:31.17
Aggregate – 3:34.17 Aggregate – 3:36.58

As you can see, the added up times of the four Aussies is three seconds faster than that of the top four Americans and Canadians. In addition, the fourth-fastest Aussie, Madi Wilson, has a season-best time that is faster than Torri Huske and Kayla Sanchez, the fastest American and Canadian respectively.

Last year at the Olympics, Australia broke the world record in the 4×100 free relay and won by over three seconds while Canada took silver and the United States took bronze. This year, they seem primed to defend their title at Worlds once more. But alas, anything can happen come time for the actual competition, so you shouldn’t count out the underdogs just yet.

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Chris
1 year ago

Rikako Ikee is missing from the list. She went 52.79 (in 2018 I think).

Swimswamswum
1 year ago

Just wait till the most talented female sprinter ever, GRETCHEN WALSH, destroy 50/100 free WRs!

Last edited 1 year ago by Swimswamswum
LBSWIM
Reply to  Swimswamswum
1 year ago

Who?

Jason
1 year ago

Wasn’t sure why the relay preview ,did not pick up this prediction. Molly, Madi, Meg and Shayna were all swimming very quick over the past 12 months and earlier this year, and with their youth would have been expected to improve. Agree, there is no certainty at the big meets, and young swimmers can falter under the bright lights, however they will go in with full confidence.

It does seem like an assembly line of 100m swimmers in Australia. We should think a little more broadly about other events. For Throssell to swim 53.8 and not make a relay spot is a waste of a talented swimmer.

Troyy
Reply to  Jason
1 year ago

Throssell is top 6 so will probably get a prelim swim and will likely qualify in the 100 and 200 fly anyway.

M d e
1 year ago

I have to admit the coverage of Shayna makes my skin crawl.

She wasn’t out due to injury or illness.

She’s served her punishment, and right or wrong is eligible to be selected, fine. But acting like it’s this amazing comeback seems off to me.

Breezeway
1 year ago

No Manuel, plus no Weitzeil. You never knew how good things were until they’re gone. Sit back and see who steps up.

Troyy
Reply to  Breezeway
1 year ago

Yeah, the US situation currently isn’t just lack of sub 53 freestylers coming through the pipeline but also not being able to retain the ones you had.

Taa
1 year ago

3 Americans!!!! haha we suck at 100Fr at least for women.

Cali
Reply to  Taa
1 year ago

But then sub 59 backstrokers though…

new york’s battle leader
Reply to  Cali
1 year ago

like we have united states of backstroke to make up for it

Rafael
Reply to  new york’s battle leader
1 year ago

Check sub 58 back of australia

PFA
Reply to  Taa
1 year ago

Still have the second most in the world aside from Australia

Willswim
1 year ago

So stacked! The only lineup that could potentially compete with the Aussie women going to Worlds in this relay is the Aussie women NOT going to Worlds. C1, C2, McKeon, Titmus. 🤯

jeff
1 year ago

i think that Taylor Ruck, Mollie O’Callaghan, and Madi Wilson are the only swimmers to be both sub 53 in freestyle and sub 59 in backstroke?

Bethica
Reply to  jeff
1 year ago

O’Callaghan’s been WHAT in the 1 back?

Canuswim
Reply to  Bethica
1 year ago

58.8. Seeded 2nd. If follows free drop, could put up a 57…

Troyy
Reply to  Canuswim
1 year ago

Repeating the free drop would get to 58 low. 57 would be an enormous surprise.

Troyy
Reply to  Bethica
1 year ago

She went 58 at trials last year missing the team behind McKeown and Seebohm.

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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