Emotional Shayna Jack Is Back With Vengeance: ‘I know I’ve Still Got It’; Ariarne Titmus Wins 400 Free

JACK ATTACK: Shayna Jack received a heroes welcome from the Queensland crowd at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre tonight. Photo Courtesy Wade J Brennan Photography.

Emotional Shayna Jack Back With Vengeance Declaring: “I know I’ve Still Got It.”

With a career threatening ban well and truly behind her it was time for Shayna Jack to shine in her happy place – the pool where she grew up racing as an age grouper.

And the 23-year-old Commonwealth and Pan Pac gold medallist didn’t disappoint with an outstanding return to racing at the 2021 McDonald’s Queensland Championships tonight.

Showing all the strength and tenacity of a true champion, Jack received the biggest cheer of the night as she was introduced with “and swimming in Lane five from St Peters Western…Shayna Jack.”

And the packed Brisbane Aquatic Centre crowd with Shayna’s family, friends and St Peters Western club mates front and centre gave her a heroes welcome.

Jack didn’t disappoint either, swimming down the first 50 metres of the women’s open 100m freestyle final and turning in front of St Peters Western teammate, Tokyo tyro Mollie O’Callaghan.

The stage set for a stroke-for-stroke show down on the swim home.

O’Callaghan, with wins on night one in the Age and Open 100m backstroke and Open 200m freestyle, powered off the wall and challenged Jack down the next 25m.

Not to be outdone and with the crowd reacting to the best race of the night, Jack came back but “Mollie O” found a little extra to take the win in 53.62 (26.92) with Jack surprising herself, touching with a slick 53.80 (26.62) with Rio and Tokyo Olympian Brianna Throssell (USC Spartans) third in 55.54.

So impressed with the times, Australian head coach Rohan Taylor jumped to his feet on pool deck, applauding the two girls for their outstanding times – not all that far off their best times – and certainly satisfying for this stage of their preparations.

An emotional Jack spoke exclusively to Swimming World and Swimming Queensland after her race, saying: “It was very emotional and a big relief off my shoulders tonight, touching that wall and turning around and one hearing the crowd and two seeing my time.

“I was overcome with emotion and even seeing (coach) Dean (Boxall), it’s one of those things that I’ve been through so much over these past two-and-a-half years and to be able to come back and feel that confidence in the water again and to know that I’ve still got it and in a way I am back and I made that statement tonight which I’m really proud of.”

PUMPED: Shayna Jack used all her emotional energy with a stunning comeback in Brisbane on night 3 of the QLD State Championships. Photo Courtesy: Wade J Brennan Photography.

The youngster who grew up idolising the likes of Jodie Henry and Libby Trickett and training alongside and racing in the same Commonwealth Games and Pan Pac relay teams as the Campbell sisters Cate and Bronte returned to a heroes welcome when she made her bay into the grandstand.

(Jack spent five minutes talking about her journey with Swimming World and the full interview will appear on Swimming World website tomorrow.)

And the cheers from the women’s 100m had barely died down before the men’s open field hit the water and the next generation showed they are ready to turn up the heat, with 16-year-old Bond University teen sensation Flynn Southam rising to the occasion.

Southam, coached by Kyle Samuelson successfully defended his title, just….that he won as a 15-year-old – clocking another personal best – his third in two days – stopping the clock in 49.40 (24.62/24.78) in a helter skelter final – only one second separating the top 10 finalists.

Yesterday Southam erased two of Australia’s biggest names – Ian Thorpe and Cameron McEvoy from the 16 years 100m freestyle record books. Southam clocked 49.42 (24.08;25.34) faster than Thorpe’s 1999 Qld All-Comers record of 49.98 and McEvoy’s 2011 QLD record of 49.70 – improving his time again. Delly Carr,

Tomy Neill Flynn Southam Maxmillian Guiliani

TEEN MACHINE: (L-R) Thomas Neill, Flynn Southam and Maximillian Guiliani dominant in the ,en ‘s 100m freestyle. Photo Courtesy:Wade J Brennan Photography.

And in a field that saw the first six places all teenagers with 19-year-old Toyko Olympic relay bronze medallist Tommy Neill, (Rackley Swim Team) just edged out by the strong finishing Southam in 49.43 for second with 18-year-old Maximillian Giuliani (Hobart Aquatic Centre) third in 49.66.

Tokyo mixed relay bronze medallist Isaac Cooper (Rackley Swim Team) finished fourth in 49.67, Kai Taylor (St Peters Western) fifth in 49.88 and Jamie Jack (Rackley Swim Team) 50.20.

RELAXED AND READY: Roommates, club mates and Australian teammates before last night’s 100m freestyle final. Photo Courtesy: Wade J Brennan Photography.

Earlier Neill had added the 400m freestyle to his 200m win, clocking 3:50.20, to swam away with the win from Brendon Smith (Nunawading) in 3:51.70 and Mitchell Tinsley (Chandler) 3:53.18.

And the women’s 400m saw Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western) very much in the zone, recording an impressive victory in 4:04.64 from fellow Tokyo finalist and club mate Kiah Melverton (4:07.63) with Moesha Johnson (Griffith University) 4:08.00. Titmus, although saying she would be happy swimming her personal best plus 10 seconds, it was actually plus seven (so not that bad afterall).

“I wasn’t happy with the my 100m swim but certainly happy with the 400m that’s for sure,” quipped Titmus, who has the 50, 800 and 1500m to go.

Meanwhile Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook (Chandler) added the 100m breaststroke to his 200m win in an impressive 59.74 from Nash Wilkes (Southport Olympic) 1:02.55 and Jack Dugandzic (Churchie) 1:03.11.

ABREAST OF THE FIELD: Olympic medley relay gold medallist Chelsea Hodges looked strong in her defence of the Queensland 100m breaststroke crown. Photo Courtesy: Wade J Brennan.

With fellow Olympic gold medallist in the women’s medley, Chelsea Hodges (Southport Olympic) defending her 100m breaststroke title, swimming away to win the gold medal in 1:07.76 from fellow Tokyo Olympian Abbey Harkin (St Peters Western) 1:08.73 and Matilda Smith (Hobart Aquatic Centre) 1:10.75.

In the 100m butterfly events, former Victorian Bowen Gough (Griffith) 52.80 won the men’s from dual Olympian David Morgan (Miami) 53.40 and Jesse Coleman (Bond) 53.48 and dual Olympian and bronze medallist, Throssell the women’s in 58.51 from USC Spartans teammate Alexandria Perkins (59.08) and Elizabeth Dekkers (Newmarket Racers) 59.86.

RESULTS UPDATE, 2021 McDonalds Queensland State Swimming Championships

After Day 3

WOMEN

100m freestyle

Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western) 53.62
Shayna Jack (St Peters Western) 53.80
Brianna Throssell (USC Spartans) 55.54

200m freestyle

Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western) 1:56.51
Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western) 1:57.36
Brianna Throssell (USC Spartans) 1:58.16

400m freestyle

Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western) 4:04.64
Kiah Melverton (St Peters Western) 4:07.63
Moesha Johnson (Griffith University) 4:08.00

* Jamie Perkins (St Peters Western) won the 16 years 400m freestyle in 4:10.49 (which would have placed her fourth in the Opens)

100m backstroke

Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western) 1:00.67
Bronte Job (Rackley Swim Team) 1:0143
Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters Western) 1:01.94

Earlier on Night 2, O’Callaghan also won the 17 years 100m backstroke in 1:01.26, and giving her three wins from her first three swims and on night 2, Mollie won the 17 years 200m backstroke in 2:10.97.

100m breaststroke

Chelsea Hodges (Southport Olympic) 1:07.76
Abbey Harkin (St Peters Western) 1:08.73
Matilda Smith (Hobart Aquatic Club) 1:10.75

200m breaststroke

Abbey Harkin (St Peters Western) 2:29.91
Tayla Lumley (Rackley Swim Team) 2:32;75
Madeline Snell (Brisbane Grammar) 2:33.63

100m butterfly

Brianna Throssell (USC Spartans) 58.51
Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans) 59.08
Elizabeth Dekkers (Newmarket Racers) 59.86

400m individual medley

Mya Rasmussen (New Zealand Federation) 4:44.57
Ella Ramsay (St Peters Western) 4:45.68
Elizabeth Dekkers (Newmarket Racers) 4:48.52

MEN

100m freestyle

Flynn Southam (Bond Swim Club) 49.40 (24.62/24.78)
Thomas Neill (Rackley Swim Team) 49.43
Maximillian Giuliani (Hobart Aquatic Club) 49.66

* Southam erased two of Australia’s biggest names – Ian Thorpe and Cameron McEvoy from the 16 years 100m freestyle record books on Day One. Southam clocked 49.42 (24.08; 25.34) faster than Thorpe’s 1999 Qld All-Comers record of 49.98 and McEvoy’s 2011 QLD record of 49.70.