SYDNEY, Australia, March 23. SOPHIE Edington gave the Australian Trials its third world record in two days when she dropped the women's 50 back standard set yesterday by Emily Seebohm.
With Seebohm checking out of the 50 back to concentrate on the 100 after setting the global standard with a 27.95 yesterday, Edington toyed with the field to the tune of a 27.67 – almost .3 seconds faster than Seebohm.
The event has seen a remarkable change in just a year as the previous record heading into the World Championships had been a 28.19.
Since then, Leila Vaziri clocked matching times of 28.16 during Worlds to win her first world title, then Yang Li clocked a 28.09 at the World University Games. Hayley McGregory followed with a 28.00 earlier this month before Seebohm dipped under 28 for her 27.95.
"I'm pretty excited to have done it tonight, I was a little bit disappointed I didn't get to race Emily but I'm stoked with my time," Edington told Swimming Australia. "I'm just looking forward to going out there tomorrow night (in the 100m final) and having fun and enjoying it."
In other action, Seebohm became just the sixth swimmer under 1:00 in the women's 100 back when she clocked a swift time of 59.78 to lead the semifinal round of qualifying. Belinda Hocking placed second in 1:00.15, while new world-record holder Edington took sixth in 1:01.45.
In the men's 200 free semifinal round, Patrick Murphy touched out Grant Hackett by the slimmest of margins, 1:46.67 to 1:46.68, while Libby Trickett (formerly Lenton) snatched the women's 100 fly title in 56.81, beating Jessicah Schipper's 57.31.
Brenton Rickard continued to scare the sub-1:00 club in the 100 breast, but settled for the title in 1:00.04, while Christian Sprenger placed second in 1:00.22.
In the women's 100 breast semis, Tarnee White remained a potential spoiler with a first-place 1:06.04. Jade Edmistone placed second in 1:07.10, while world-record holder Leisel Jones qualified a surprising third in 1:07.48.
Setting up a close battle for the title, Ashley Delaney qualified first over Hayden Stoeckel, 54.20 to 54.27, in the men's 100 back semifinal round, while Linda Mackenzie grabbed the women's 400 free title in 4:04.73 with Bronte Barratt taking second in 4:05.19.
In the men's 50 fly, Matt Targett snared a 23.51 to 23.61 triumph over Andrew Lauterstein, while Ryan Pini placed third in 23.96.
The men's 400 free relay title went to the team of Eamon Sullivan, Adam Lucas, Tommaso D'Orsogna and Bobby Jovanovich (3:21.32).