Wunsch Takes 100 Fly, Sheridan Earns 5th Title At Aussie Age Championships

2023 AUSTRALIAN AGE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 7-15, 2023
• Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Southport, AUS
• LCM (50 meters)
• Championship Central
• Live Stream
• Live Results
• Day 1+2 Recap/Day 3 Recap/Day 4 Recap

Days six and seven of the 2023 Australian Age Championships continued to bring the heat from Southport, with 16-year-old Olivia Wunsch capturing her 3rd individual title.

The Carlile swimmer already nabbed the 200m IM and 50m free victories at these championships but added the 100m fly gold as well.

Wunsch secured the 16-year-old age category victory in a time of 59.38, a new personal best. Close behind was Wests Illawara’s Jessica Cole who snagged silver in 59.65. Both girls enter the list of top 10 all-time fastest Aussie 16-year-olds with their performances.

The boys’ 18-year-old 50m free saw Toby McOmish take the gold in 22.88, just .03 ahead of Tane Bidois‘ effort of 22.91. The pair were the only swimmers under the 23-second barrier in the event.

The boys’ 16-year-old 200m breast was extremely close with just .02 separating the top 2 finishers. SOPAC’s Matthew Kim got to the wall first in 2:20.04 while St. Peters Western’s Randal Ingram touched a fingernail behind in 2:20.06.

14-year-old Macey Sheridan collected her 4th and 5th titles in as many nights, first by way of taking the 50m fly event. The Darwin teen touched in a result of 27.96, adding this gold to her previous wins in the 100m back (1:03.69), 200m back (2:19.70) and 50m free (27.96).

But Sheridan wasn’t done, as she cracked a result of 29.59 to win the 50m back and complete the trifecta of golds in that discipline.

Ike Martinez of Rackley continued his display of versatility, earning gold in the boys’ 100m butterfly for 16-year-olds. The teen produced a winning result of 55.71. He then moved on to the 400m free where he scored a time of 3:57.16 to top the podium.

Already a multi-event winner here as well, Manly’s Lillie McPherson took on the 50m fly and 100m free double to bring her total titles to four.

McPherson earned the 14-year-old girls’ 50m fly, bagging gold in a time of 27.50. The 100m free also then fell victim to the teen, with McPherson earning the title in a result of 56.60.

Additional Winners

• Sophie Martin of Somerville House scored a time of 1:09.96 to win the girls’ 17-year-old 100m breast.
• The boys’ 14-year-old 50m fly saw St. Leonard College’s Max Mangini hit a mark of 25.75 for the victory.
• Jack Morrow battled Kai Gilbert in the boys’ 15-year-old 400m free, with the former posting a time of 4:04.38 to the latter’s 4:04.42.
• Miami’s Karl Albertyn added the 400m IM gold to his previous 200m IM victory in the 17-year-old boys’ category. Albertyn earned a 4IM time of 4:24.03.
• Luke Higgs of Sydney Northern Beaches grabbed gold in the boys’ 14-year-old 200m free, punching a time of 1;56.71. This added to his previous victories in the 400m IM and 1500m free events.
• Bond’s Gideon Burnes completed his sweep of the boys’ 17-year-old breaststroke races, topping the 50m podium with a result of 28.84, the only result of the field under 29 seconds.