2019 AUSTRALIAN WORLD SWIMMING TRIALS
- Sunday, June 9th – Friday, June 14th
- Brisbane Aquatic Centre
- LCM
- Live Results
The intense 6-day affair that was the 2019 Australian World Swimming Trials concluded tonight in Brisbane, with the competition rendering an initial roster of 27 total men and women getting the nod to represent the green and gold in Gwangju, Korea.
Although the specific events aren’t spelled out in the Swimming Australia announcement, we can gauge most swimmers’ schedules based on their performances at these Trials. Kaylee McKeown, for example, racked up 3 distinct qualification standards, giving her a minimum individual event line-up of the 100m back, 200m back and 200m IM.
Minna Atherton also collected 2 QTs in the 100m and 200m back, while Cate Campbell took gold in QT’s in both the 50m and 100m free.
Then there was Kyle Chalmers, the 20-year-old who completed a trifecta of sprint wins in the 50m/100m/200m freestyles, earning QTs in the latter 2 events.
Emma McKeon also nabbed 3 QTs, hitting the mark in the 100m free, 200m free and 100m fly. Mitch Larkin also nailed 3 QTs in the form of the 100m back, 200m back and 200m IM, producing a new Aussie National Record in the latter.
Mack Horton, who was on the bubble of making the roster based on his sub-par performances, indeed was granted a reprieve and named to the lineup for Gwangju. The reigning 400m free Olympic champion finished 2nd in that event, missing the minimum time qualification. He also missed out on the 200m and 800m freestyle events.
Coaches for the Aussies in Gwangju include the following: Dean Boxall (St Peters Western), Chris Nesbit (TSS Aquatic), Michael Bohl (Griffith University), Vince Raleigh (Chandler), Peter Bishop (Marion), Simon Cusack (Knox/Pymble), Chris Mooney (USC Spartans) and Adam Kable (SOPAC).
Looking at his lineup of strong swimmers, Head Coach Jacco Verhaeren stated, “We have very strong qualification standards which are based on the top eight times in previous world championships, so this is a smaller team than perhaps previous worlds, but a very strong team I believe,” he said.
“There have been some fantastic individual performances and the depth in some of our relay teams is very promising.
“Qualifying here is just the first step, we now have to convert and capitalize on these performances in South Korea, so our efforts in the coming five weeks will be focussed on that.”
The Australian Dolphins swim team will head to Cairns for a staging camp in the coming weeks, before moving to Nagaoka in Japan to train, and then traveling onto to Gwangju in South Korea for the World Championships beginning on July 21.
UPDATE since original publishing:
Per Swimming Australia, Athletes who are selected on the team to compete as relay swimmers only may be entered into individual events, provided there are not already two qualified swimmers racing in any one event. This is possible given they have achieved the FINA A qualifying time in the selection year.
The release also stated, “Possible additions in either Olympic or non-Olympic events will be decided in the next few weeks,” which we interpreted to mean additional swimmers could be added.
However, Swimming Australia has since confirmed to SwimSwam that, “We will not be adding to the squad from outside the 27 already selected. We will look to add to races if there are spots available from within the existing squad selected.”
This means that the Australian roster of 27 is the smallest in some time, with the nation typically hovering more in the 40-athlete realm. 36 swimmers represented the green and gold in Kazan back at the 2015 edition of the World Championships, while 31 were in Budapest.
The Australian Dolphins Swim Team for the 2019 FINA World Swimming Championships
| Name | Club |
| Minna Atherton | Brisbane Grammar |
| Bronte Campbell | Knox Pymble |
| Cate Campbell | Knox Pymble |
| Kyle Chalmers | Marion |
| Thomas Fraser-Holmes | Griffith University |
| Alex Graham | Bond |
| Madeleine Gough | TSS Aquatic |
| Jess Hansen | Nunawading |
| Mack Horton | Melbourne Vicentre |
| Shayna Jack | St Peters Western |
| Mitch Larkin | St Peters Western |
| Clyde Lewis | St Peters Western |
| Cameron McEvoy | TSS Aquatics |
| Emma McKeon | Griffith University |
| Kaylee McKeown | USC Spartans |
| Jack McLoughlin | Chandler |
| Kiah Melverton | TSS Aquatic |
| David Morgan | TSS Aquatic |
| Leah Neale | USC Spartans |
| Zac Stubblety-Cook | West Brisbane Aquatic |
| Jenna Strauch | Bond |
| Matt Temple | Nunawading |
| Brianna Throssell | UWA West Coast |
| Ariarne Titmus | St Peters Western |
| Madison Wilson | Marion |
| Matt Wilson | SOPAC |
| Bradley Woodward | Mingara Aquatic |
I think setting a qt is a bad idea if you are below the A standard. Giving people less opportunity usually is not the best idea, even if they aren’t a “medal threat” at their qualifying meet. But ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yeah, kinda sucks but I guess it comes down to the budget. Swimming Australia probably doesn’t want to pay for an extra swimmer if it isn’t worth it for them. Sad but unfortunately it’s the harsh reality 🙁
“The Aussie roster typically hovers around the 40-swimmer mark, so look for at least 10 swimmers to be included over the next few weeks.”
This is incorrect. They will not be adding more swimmers.
We clarified with Swimming Australia and have since provided an update. Thanks!
FINA needs an “A+” or other measure to allow a 3rd swimmer per country should they be a medal threat, ie top 8 standard. As it is the ‘world champs’ and swimming is growing it’s professional status every year, there’s no way a 52 sec 100 Freestyler or 24.2 50 Freestyler should not be competing. The flood gates on this would not open with mass numbers, only a couple of world class Aussies, Americans, possibly Japanese, and the odd other would get through. If you’re top 8 ish in the world you should get to compete at this level, as a fan I want to see all of the best!
I remember when Henry, Lenton and Mills were top 3 sprinters in the world but one would always have to miss out 🙁
I think the 3 swimmer per country/event was put in place due to the east Germans, during their strong Communist era.
And the 1976 Americans men’s team sweeping a ton of events. Which is stupid that they made a rule for just because of that
‘murica.
Yes they did likely in response to those 2 examples, German women and US men. However the world swimming landscape and competitiveness has changed drastically since then, no longer a ‘dual meet’. Maybe a couple events each for Americans and Aussies plus few outlier occurrences with other countries so not like 3 US on every podium.
With regards to the “discretional calls”:
– I’m happy with Temple getting the nod after that 100 swim & he’ll probably get a start in the 200fly..
– Hansen was always going to be picked for 4XMED reasons.
– Strauch may be a tad lucky but McKeown Sr has been well off her game for the past year or so and was way off in the 100.
– Can’t see any justification for sending anyone in W400IM or a 2nd 200IM (after McKeown Jr), times were way off QT
– Horton more than a little lucky. I can justify a 400fr start and depth for 4X200 but cannot justify entering him in 800
–… Read more »
I think the heats of the 4×200 will be slow enough that you need to rest both Titmus and McKeon so Neale is really the only option. Melverton has a massive program, so swimming her isn’t going to work. Not sure what thy will do in the 4×100 heats – rest C1 and McKeon, swim Wilson and ??? Throssell has a big program already, maybe you risk Neale to get a lane in the final.
Evans 400IM time at trials last year would have finished 4th at Pan Pacs but she was left of the team because of how fast the auto QT was. I’d pick her in my team.
W4X100 is on first day of competition, Throssel will have the W100fly on same session as McKeon. Your point regarding her program would have credence if it were held later in the program. No way would I risk swimming Neale in the 4X100.
I agree that AUS should qualify comfortably for the W4X200 final but I do not believe in keeping handing out plane tickets to serial tourists and Neale is in the Jayden Hadler/Tommy D’orsogna class ! I’d prefer to take Melverton who is someone who’s on the improve to someone whose record suggests will swim slower. Melverton DOES have 3 individual events in Gwangju but 400 is on 1st day, 1500 heats 2nd morning/finals 3rd night; 4X200 heats… Read more »
Could there be a possibility of them putting McKeown Jnr in the 400IM? Or is her program already quite packed?
I think at this stage, she would do better in it than Evans. She did it at the Comm Games last year and performed quite well and she won it at the Australian Championships but I can’t remember what times she did. If she has the endurance for 400, I have faith that she could do well in it considering her performance in the 200. I know it’s a little unfair considering she didn’t do it at trials but it would be nice to have an Aussie swimmer in the women’s 400IM.
Who will get the nod? Elijah Winnington? Holly Barratt (non-Olympic events only)? William Yang?
On what basis would Elijah winnington make it since he didn’t make the cut in any event not even for relays? Mack Horton was already a bit hmmmm
I guess we needed some male butterflyers and female breastrokers so I’m sure the selectors were forced to prioritise these swimmers for the medley relay
Top 8 are in consideration for relays.
Take top 8 100 free and miss finals
Aus without Chalmers is not a sure finalist, imagine resting more
Jenna Strauch the luckiest of the bunch, Blair Evans possibly the unluckiest.
Glad Matt Temple got the start, that 100 fly QT was ridiculuos, and 51.47 is more than worthy of a spot on the roster.
Just in case anyone wanted to know, the 51.31 QT was Grant Irvine’s time he did in the semifinals of Budapest 2017. He qualified 8th fastest for the final, so they used that time. But still, it’s a ridiculously fast time and Temple did an amazing job smashing the 52 barrier.