SWIMMING AUSTRALIA OLYMPIC TRIALS
- Saturday, June 12th – Thursday, June 17th
- South Australia Aquatic & Leisure Centre, Adelaide, Australia
- Sole Olympic-Qualifying Opportunity
- 2021 Swimming Australia Olympic Nomination Criteria
- Meet Site
- Live results
If you were preoccupied with the U.S. Olympic Trials over the last week and missed what was going on in Australia, have no fear.
Below, find everything you need to get back up to date on the 2021 Australian Olympic Trials that came to a close on June 17 with 35 swimmers being named to the Aussie Olympic team.
TOP PERFORMERS
Kaylee McKeown
McKeown went three-for-three to qualify for Tokyo in a trio of events, but that wasn’t the highlight of her meet.
On the second night of competition, the 19-year-old broke the world record in the women’s 100 backstroke in a time of 57.45, resetting the previous mark of 57.57 set by American Regan Smith in 2019.
McKeown followed that up by slicing a few one-hundredths off her Commonwealth Record in the 200 back, clocking 2:04.28 for the fourth-fastest swim in history, and she also set a lifetime best in winning the 200 IM (2:08.19).
Set to race at her first Games next month, McKeown heads into Tokyo ranked first in the world in all three of her Olympic events.
Ariarne Titmus
Titmus’ performance was simply sensational. The 20-year-old came incredibly close to world records in the women’s 200 and 400 freestyle, registering the #2 swim of all-time in both.
Titmus clocked 3:56.90 in the 400 free, torching her previous Commonweath Record of 3:58.76 to trail only Katie Ledecky‘s world record swim of 3:56.46 from the 2016 Olympic Games.
In the 200 free, Titmus scared the super-suited world record set by Federica Pellegrini in 2009, touching in 1:53.09 to fall just .11 shy of Pellegrini’s 1:52.98. Titmus held the previous Commonwealth, Oceanian and Australian Records of 1:54.27 set back in 2019.
Titmus won a third event in the 800 free, inching past her Australian Record of 8:15.70 in 8:15.57 to qualify for three individual events in Tokyo.
Zac Stubblety-Cook
While McKeown and Titmus were producing historically fast times on the women’s side, Zac Stubblety-Cook did the same thing for the men in the 200 breaststroke.
Stubblety-Cook dropped an incredible 2:06.28 to register the second-fastest swim ever, trailing only Anton Chupkov‘s world record of 2:06.12 set in 2019.
Stubblety-Cook, who set his previous best time of 2:07.00 in May, also took down Matthew Wilson‘s Commonwealth Record of 2:06.67 with the swim, which had previously stood as the world record.
Stubblety-Cook also placed first in the 100 breast in a time of 59.69.
Emma McKeon
McKeon set the tone for the meet in the first final on opening night, lowering her Oceanian and Australian Record in the women’s 100 butterfly in a time of 55.93. McKeon held the previous record of 56.18 set in 2017.
The 27-year-old went on to set lifetime bests in her three remaining events as well, winning the 50 free (23.93), 100 free (52.35, with a 52.19 PB in prelims) and finishing as the runner-up to Titmus in the 200 free (1:54.74).
McKeon currently ranks first in the world in the 50 and 100 free, third in the 100 fly and fourth in the 200 free.
CAMPBELL, SEEBOHM QUALIFY FOR FOURTH OLYMPIC TEAM
29-year-olds Cate Campbell and Emily Seebohm both qualified for their fourth Olympic team at the Trials, joining Leisel Jones as the only Australian swimmers to reach the milestone.
Campbell was the runner-up to McKeon in both the women’s 50 (23.94) and 100 free (52.59), earning her individual entries in both events in Tokyo.
Seebohm placed second to McKeown in both the women’s 100 (58.59) and 200 back (2:06.38), also qualifying for two events at the Games.
Notably taking third in that 100 back was 17-year-old Mollie O’Callaghan, who dropped over seven-tenths from her previous best time in 58.86.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY SWIMS
- Matthew Temple broke the Australian Record in the men’s 100 butterfly, clocking 50.45 to move into #3 in the world this season.
- Elijah Winnington defeated a loaded field in the men’s 400 free in a lifetime best of 3:42.65, taking over the top time in the world this season. In fact, the top three times in the world rankings were produced in that final, with Jack McLoughlin (3:43.27) second and 2016 Olympic champion Mack Horton (3:43.90) locked out in third.
- Another reigning Olympic champion, Kyle Chalmers, will have the opportunity to defend his 2016 title in the men’s 100 freestyle after winning the event in a time of 47.59. Chalmers also won the 200 free in a time of 1:45.48, with Winnington (1:45.55) a close second.
- Mitch Larkin dropped the 200 back for the 200 IM, and it paid off as he roared to a decisive victory in a time of 1:56.29. Larkin also won the 100 back in 53.40.
- Brendon Smith broke the Australian Record in the men’s 400 IM in a time of 4:10.04.
- Maddy Gough downed the Aussie mark in the women’s 1500 free in 15:46.13.
THE OLYMPIC TEAM
35 swimmers were officially named to the Australian Olympic team, with the inclusion of Matthew Wilson among the decisions that was up in the air prior to the announcement.
Wilson finished second to Stubblety-Cook in the 200 breast in a time of 2:08.52, just off of the Australian qualifying time of 2:08.26.
The 22-year-old former world record holder was nominated under Swimming Australia’s ‘extenuating circumstances’ clause as he was reportedly grieving a recent death in the family.
The roster also includes Horton, who won’t compete individually but was added after taking sixth in the men’s 200 free.
Full Roster
• Bronte Campbell, Knox Pymble, NSW
• Cate Campbell, Knox Pymble, NSW
• Tamsin Cook, UWA West Coast, WA
• Madeleine Gough, TSS Aquatic, QLD
• Jessica Hansen, Cruiz, ACT
• Meg Harris, St Peters Western, QLD
• Abbey Harkin, St Peters Western, QLD
• Chelsea Hodges, Southport Olympic, QLD
• Emma McKeon, Griffith University, QLD
• Kaylee McKeown, USC Spartans, QLD
• Kiah Melverton, TSS Aquatic, QLD
• Leah Neale, Chandler, QLD
• Mollie O’Callaghan, St Peters Western, QLD
• Emily Seebohm, Griffith University, QLD
• Jenna Strauch, Bond, QLD
• Brianna Throssell, UWA West Coast, WA
• Ariarne Titmus St Peters Western, QLD
• Madison Wilson, Marion, SA
• Kyle Chalmer, Marion, SA
• Isaac Cooper, Rackley, QLD
• Alexander Graham, Bond, QLD
• Tristan Hollard, Southport Olympic, QLD
• Mack Horton, Melbourne Viccentre, VIC
• Zac Incerti, UWA West Coast, WA
• Mitch Larkin, St Peters Western, QLD
• Se-Bom Lee, Carlile, NSW
• Cam McEvoy, TSS Aquatic, QLD
• Jack McLoughlin, Chandler, QLD
• David Morgan, TSS Aquatic, QLD
• Thomas Neill, Rackley, QLD
• Brendon Smith, Nunawading, VIC
• Zac Stubblety-Cook, Chandler, QLD
• Matthew Temple, Nunawading, VIC
• Matthew Wilson, SOPAC Swim, NSW
• Elijah Winnington, St Peters Western, QLD
Horton maybe will be offered a spot in the 800 free as only Jack McLaughlin qualified .
Unsure this will be the case as Horton would still be required to meet the A standard qualifying time and this may not have occurred in the meets leading up to trials.
He has the A standard from Gwangju but it’d make no sense for him to swim the 800 when the 800 heats are immediately after the 4×200 heats. Same for Neill.
800 heats clash with the 4×200 heats.
Didn’t even see McKeons 50, she’s really on a tear
Yeah Australia hasn’t performed the best at the last two olympics I think 2017 worlds were no different but look at 2019 words although there was only one individual gold we had athletes who still did pb’s in the finals or went close to it which does give hope for Tokyo i just hope there’s not too much pressure out on the athletes by swimming Australia and the Australian Olympic team because there’s athletes that have complained about that in the past
I don’t get this need that HSwimmer has of insisting swimming isn’t that big of a sport in the USA in order to effectively talk USA’s swimming pedigree up.
Americans aren’t some sort of master race (if you think that, get help). They aren’t born more talented than other countries and they don’t have a culture of working harder than other countries. Additional swimming success definitely comes from somewhere. Maybe swimming is a bigger sport in Australia? But it’s definitely bigger in the USA than it is in most other countries in the world, so what’s the argument? If anything there’s more investment in USA Swimming (whether directly or indirectly, i.e. though college scholarships etc) in USA than anywhere… Read more »
Go USA! Go Australia. Let’s rumble and bring out the best in both.
I agree, I have always respected the American swimmers, they are winners, USA v Australia in some events in Tokyo are HUGE;
Ledecky v Titmus
Smith v McKeown
AND THE BIG ONE
Dressel v Chalmers
This is not disregarding any other swimmers in these events eg Masse, Kolesnikov & Pellegrini.
Potential Gold for the aussies
Women: 50/100/200/400 free, 200 IM, 100/200 back, 4×100 free, 4×200 free are very strong contenders for gold. A little lower 4×100 medley, women 100 fly and 800 free.
Men: 400 free is their strongest event right now, and contending could be the 200 breast, 100 free, 200 free, 200 IM and 4×200.
Men have no chance in the individual 200 and men’s 200IM is a bit bold too however all of the rest of the events you mentioned are almost certain medals for the aussies
Very good summary Rafael, if Australia won 8 or 9 golds we would be ecstatic as they would be a record for us.
Alex Walsh will be sub 2:08 and Douglass since they will have less swims in IM.
What is your prediction for McKeown?
Huh? Less swims In IM? What does that mean? If you meant other events, she didn’t swim a lot of events last week!
It is like judo where you enter 2nd round probably. Cause murica nbc and rowdy will skip prelims
Less swims than trials I meant…. Alex and Kate both had a lot of events
Lower in 4×100 medley ? Are you kidding me?
McKeown 57.4
Hodges 1.05.9
Mckeon 55.5
Campbell 51.1
WR 3.50.1
Yeah but USA have:
Smith: 57.5
King : 1:04.1
Huske : 55.4
Weitzel/Manuel : 52.9
Also 3:50.1 WR,
so yes AUS have a lower chance of getting Gold than other events because you can’t expect Campbell to go 51.1 again especially when she’s looked a bit slower at trials (in the 100) then when she was in 2019
King has only been that fast on a relay at Budapest 2017. Otherwise 1:04 high or slower.
Don’t ever discount Cate in a relay…She ALWAYS performs…
Cate never dissapoints on relays
Cate was about the same time at Pan Pacs trials in 2018 before going her fastest ever split at Pan Pacs and PB in the individual.
I think you can give Cook more than contending.
No way I bet against chupkov
Chupkov is going to be out to slow!!
Mixed 4×100 medley is a possibility
Australia is faster in the women’s medley relay based on the aggregated times. It turned out that Reagan Smith was slower than expected in the 100BK and in the 100FS they all disappointed. Australia look to be the favourites on paper but if the USA swims to its potential in those legs they will probably win it.
Any bets as to who wins more gold medals? Aussie women or USA women? I will take the Aussies this year. From a country of 28 million vs a country of 360 million!
AUS this year most likely (McKeown looking great). The amount of young women for the Americans is very promising for 2024!
Swimming Australia number of members 100,000
USA Swimming number of members 346,735
would be more accurate
…so India and China are going to run the tables on everyone in swimming, right!? …or maybe you made a bad correlation
No India & China are not 1st world countries, the US is by far the biggest populated 1st country in the world.
1st world countries include Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Korea & US & Canada.
In countries like India & China, people are too busy living day day, surviving & have little time participating or attending sporting events.
Now compare the popularity and participation rate of the sport in Australia vs the US. I would say that is a more relevant metric
Everything we need to digest : Australia > Usa
In Swimming
USA: Total Golds = 246, Total Medals = 553
AUS: Total Golds = 60, Total Medals = 188
246 > 60, 553 > 188
USA Total Golds is greater than AUS total medals.
Now multiply them by their respective populations and see who would be the better country historically with equal populations.
Virtually no one cares about swimming in the US so the population argument doesn’t hold water.
I didn’t mean this as an insult. Just that percentage of population that is involved in swimming is much lower in the US thus the total number of people involved is pretty similar despite the overall population difference.
Even if ‘virtually no one cares’ (which is even miles off being hyperbole), there is enough sponsorship for thousands of those who do care to fund their way to college and swim while doing so. No other country in the world offers that kind of financial support for swimmers. The reality is that the USA has a much larger pool of talent hanging at the optimum swimming age because of this. So even if you want to talk sheer numbers, you have to accept that many other countries don’t have that pool to choose from at the roughly 18-26 year old range, and that inevitably results in fewer opportunities for medals in other countries (including Australia).
Ignorant comment. Swimming is significantly more popular in Australia relatively speaking. A simple population ratio doesn’t weigh the relative significance within each country. While folks on this site love swimming, the general US population is more interested in other sports. The US medal haul will reflect this.
Having said that, regardless of size or interest level, the US will again lead the swimming table in both golds and overall medals.
There’s a difference between swimming for leisure and club swimming.
Leisure doesn’t always translate into competition.
I don’t think there is anything in Australia that is equivalent to the NCAA. It’s huge in the US. In Australia the ‘college’ system is vastly different, and any university sports are no where as huge as they are in the US.
Therefore the opportunities for funding and competition for Australian students pales in comparison to their US counterparts. The NCAA produces national sporting champions in the US.