World Championships Qualifiers Through Day 4 Of Aussie Trials

2023 AUSTRALIAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

We saw arguably the most electric night thus far at these 2023 Australian World Championship Trials. Several new names were added to the list of Fukuoka qualifiers while personal bests were laid down left and right in Melbourne.

Leading the charge was Kaylee McKeown who did her usual other-worldly thing in the women’s 200m back. The 21-year-old Griffith University star clocked a winning time of 2:03.70, producing the 4th-fastest performance in history.

Also making major noise tonight was fellow Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers. 24-year-old Chalmers staked his claim on the men’s 100m free, hitting a time of 47.44 to become the #2 performer in the world this season.

Joining him in Fukuoka qualification was recently-turned-18-year-old Flynn Southam. Bond’s Southam nailed a huge personal best of 47.77 to get under the 48-second threshold for the first time in his young career.

Also breaking barriers were Tommy Neill in the men’s 200m IM and Elizabeth Dekkers in the 200m fly. Neill crushed a new career-swiftest result of 1:57.74 to match the Aussie QT for Fukuoka exactly. It marked his first outing ever under 1:58 in the event.

As for Dekkers, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion scored a winning 2fly effort of 2:05.26 for her first-ever foray under 2:06.

Neill inserted himself into the list of all-time Aussie performers in slot #4 and Dekkers is the 3rd best Aussie performer ever in her event. Abbey Connor also nabbed World Championships qualification in the women’s 200m fly with her silver medal-worthy 2:07.61 knocking over half a second off her best performance.

Australian World Championships Individual Event Qualifiers Through Day 4

  • Kaylee McKeown – women’s 200m IM (2:07.60), 100m back (57.50), 200m back (2:03.70)
  • Jenna Forrester – women’s 200m IM (2:09.29)
  • Emma McKeon – women’s 100m fly (56.74)
  • Brianna Throssell – women’s 100m fly (57.66)
  • Sam Short – men’s 400m free (3:43.38), 800m free (7:40.39)
  • Elijah Winnington – men’s 400m free (3:43.48), 800m free (7:45.75)
  • Ariarne Titmus – women’s 400m free (3:58.47), 200m free (1:54.14), 800m free (8:15.88)
  • Lani Pallister – women’s 400m free (4:02.43), 800m free (8:20.56)
  • Mollie O’Callaghan – women’s 100m back (58.42), 200m free (1:53.83)
  • Tommy Neill – men’s 200m IM (1:57.74)
  • Elizabeth Dekkers – women’s 200m fly (2:05.26)
  • Abbey Connor – women’s 200m fly (2:07.61)
  • Kyle Chalmers – men’s 100m free (47.44)
  • Flynn Southam – men’s 100m free (47.77)

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Sherry Smit
1 year ago

So how is it going to work with selecting a breaststroker? will the swimmer with the B cut be able to go if nobody opts to swim it?

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Sherry Smit
1 year ago

zsc and harkin both have the a cut, they just haven’t automatically qualified since they were slower than swimming australia’s qt. but both will be on the team, since swimming australia prefers to have relay alternates for the medley relays, qt or not. there are about 7 people who have effectively qualified due to relays, but aren’t on this list because they didn’t finish in the top 2 with the qt

Sub13
Reply to  Sherry Smit
1 year ago

Are you talking about the women or men?

For the men, we know ZSC will hit the QT for the 200 so he’s on the team, and he already has the A cut for the 100, so he can swim the 100 if he wants. Williamson was second in the 100 without the A cut, so they will want to bring him along as a relay backup/heat, but can’t enter the 100 if ZSC does. However, Williamson has the A cut in the 50, so even though that’s not a selection event we could still bring him as a 50 swimmer without using a relay only slot. Matt Wilson also has a shot at the 200 QT, so if he… Read more »

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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