Australian Age Championships: Flynn Southam’s 1:46.23 In The 200m Freestyle Sends A Message To His Older Rivals
Flynn Southam has served further notice to his older rivals in the countdown to next week’s 2023 Australian Open Championships, starting Monday on the Gold Coast after taking almost half a second off his personal best 200m freestyle time.
The 17-year-old from Bond University may have had to wait all night to line up in the final race of night eight at the Australian Age Championships – but the wait was worthwhile when he peeled off a 1:46.24 – half a second faster than he had ever swum before.
Southam, who has already won the 17-years 50m freestyle in 22.40 and clocked two sub 48 second splits in two of Bond’s relay wins, was on song in the 200m, splitting 24.51, 51.58 and 1:18.78 en-route to a pb that will put him very much in the hunt for next week’s Australian Open Meet starting Monday.
He still has the 100m freestyle to swim on the final day but if his actions over the last week are any indication then he’s not going to hold back.
Southam is prepping for a big year of racing with the Australian Open Championships, followed in June by the World Championship Trials for Fukuoka and then the World Junior Championships in Israel in September.
And it’s the non-stop racing that’s going to so beneficial for the Chris Mooney coached boy wonder with a 200m background that can only spell danger in the closing metres of his 100m, as he sets his sights on Paris.
The week-long Age meet has seen some solid racing that most of these kids missed during the COVID lock downs – and it’s as if they are making up for lost time.
Just ask 13-year-old Macey Sheridan from Darwin who won her sixth gold of the meet, winning her age group 100m freestyle in 58.03.
The darling of the pool, who blows kisses at the end of every win, using her long loping stroke to bring home the 100m freestyle in 58.05, pushed all the way by Warringah’s Jaslyn Plummer (58.67) with Maya Zunker (Miami, QLD) taking bronze in 59.63.
While Sydney Northern Beaches pair Luke Higgs (Warringah Aquatic, NSW) and Lillie McPherson (Manly, NSW) added their fifth titles respectively to cap off a golden meet.
Southam’s Bond teammate, Mikayla Bird chimed in to win the 15 years girls 200m freestyle in 2:02.55, also finishing second in the 50m butterfly to Olivia Hine (Somerville House, QLD) 26.97 to 27.59.
And two of the real stars of the week, Higgs and near neighbour McPherson have certainly continued to put the peninsula well and truly back on the National swimming map.
Higgs showed why he is regarded as one of the real rising stars of a multi-talented boys group – again powering home to add the 200m individual medley to his victories in the 200, 400 and 1500m freestyles and the 400IMs.
The 14-year-old unleashed a power-packed six beat kick down the final 50m freestyle leg to swim away from the field – winning in 2:12:09 ahead of the ever present Oscar Kreutzberger (North Albury, NSW) in 2:13.98 with Harrison Tancred (Aquablitz, Toongabbie, NSW) third in 2:14.63
And he must have been inspired by his 14-year-old Warringah team mate Lachlan Davies who also powered home to win the 100m freestyle in 53.16 – the boys giving coach Cameron Gledhill every reason to leave the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre with a smile on his face.
Davies was never going to lose keeping second-placed dead-heaters Max Mangini (St Leonard’s College, VIC) and Logan Rieck (Norwood, SA) to hit the wall together in 53.80.
While in the 16 years 200m freestyle, it was Cranbrook’s Marcus da Silva who completed the 50, 100, 200 treble in 1:50.48.
While Manly’s McPherson, so impressive in her 50,100m butterfly and 50,100m freestyle wins, also demonstrated her multiple stroke skills, also dominating the 14 years 200IM in 2:19.64 ahead of middle distance freestyle star Ava Gaske (Chandler, QLD) 2:21.44 with Sienna Toohey (Albury, NSW) 2:22.05.
Another impressive performance came from aspiring backstroke star Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters Western, QLD) who sizzled in the 16 years 100m backstroke final, clocking her personal best time of 59.81 (29.06), her first time under the minute.
And nudging the two National 16-years records held by four-time Olympian Emily Seebohm (Australian record of 59.33) and world short course record holder Minna Atherton (Australian All-Comers mark of 59.34).
A nervous Seebohm actually calling the race with another Olympic backstroker in Meagen Nay – saying she was relieved to have the mark still standing, praising Barclay as one of the rising stars of Australia’s backstroking ranks.
The win gave Barclay the 50, 100, 200m backstroke treble.
There was another high standard race in the 16 years 200m freestyle with Hannah Casey (Marist College Ashgrove, QLD) take out the win in 1:59.11 – a pb for her – from triple gold medallist, Carlile’s Olivia Wunsch (2:00.13) and Inez Miller (Bond, QLD) 2:00.22.
Wunsch has earlier won the 50m butterfly in 26.94 – her first time under 27 ahead of Casey and Barclay.
The high-standard 17 years girls 100m freestyle went to Jaimie de Lutiis (Wests Illawarra) in 54.71 ahead of Isabella Boyd (Nunawading, VIC) 55.82 and Amelia Weber (St Peters Western, QLD) 56.02.
NIGHT 8
2023 Australian Age Swimming Championships, Night 8, FINALS:
GIRLS
13 years
100m freestyle
- Macey Sheridan (Darwin, NT) 58.05
- Jaslyn Plummer (Warringah, NSW) 58.67
- Maya Zunker (Miami, QLD) 59.63
200 individual medley
- Eloise McLellan (Somerville House, QLD) 2:19.88
- Heidi Shumack (SOPAC) 2:19.99
- Lilla Ribot-de-Bresac (Newmarket Racers, QLD) 2:27.03
14 years
200m individual medley
- Lillie McPherson (Manly Swimming Club, NSW) 2:19.64
- Ava Gaske (Chandler, QLD) 2:21.44
- Sienna Toohey (Albury, NSW) 2:22.05
50m backstroke
- Kaci Curtis (St Peters Western, QLD) 30.03
- Mackenzie Grimes (Toowoomba, QLD) 30.11
- Lily Koch (MLC Aquatic, VIC) 30.21
15 years
100m breaststroke
- Haylee McKinder (Griffith University, QLD) 1:09.12
- Julia Remington (Yeronga Park, QLD) 1:12.57
- Ella Mounter (Nuswim, NSW) 1:12.82
50m butterfly
- Olivia Hine (Somerville House, QLD) 26.97
- Mikayla Bird (Bond, QLD) 27.59
- Isabella Osborn (MLC Aquatic, VIC) 27.69
200m freestyle
- Mikayla Bird (Bond, QLD) 2:02.55
- Piper Asquith (Griffith University, QLD) 2:03.24
- Hannah Moreton (St Peters Western, QLD) 2:05.14
16 years
100m backstroke
- Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters Western, QLD) 59.81
- Inez Miller (St Hilda’s WA) 1:02.69
- Mackenzie Burns (St Andrews, QLD) 1:02.95
50m butterfly
- Olivia Wunsch (Carlile, NSW) 26.94
- Hannah Casey (Marist College Ashgrove, QLD) 27.10
- Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters Western, QLD) 27.69
200m freestyle
- Hannah Casey (Marist College Ashgrove, QLD) 1:59.11
- Inez Miller (St Hilda’s WA) 2:00.13
- Olivia Wunsch (Carlile, NSW) 2:00.22
17 years
50m breaststroke
- Isabella Johnson (Cruiz, ACT) 32.25
- Bella Zhang (Knox Pymble, NSW) 32.38
- Sophie Martin (Somerville House, QLD) 32.41
100m freestyle
- Jaimie de Lutiis (Wests Illawarra, NSW) 54.71
- Isabella Boyd (Nunawading, VIC) 55.82
- Amelia Weber (St Peters Western, QLD) 56.02
400m individual medley
- Sienna Timms (Newmarket Racers, QLD) 4:55.55
- Dakoda Mathers (Nunawading, VIC) 4:56.09
- Talia Wilkinson (St Hildas, WA) 5:03.93
BOYS
14 years
100m freestyle
- Lachlan Davies (Warringah Aquatic, NSW) 53.16
- Logan Rieck (Norwood, SA) and Max Mangini (St Leonard’s College, VIC) =53.80
200m individual medley
- Luke Higgs (Warringah Aquatic, NSW) 2:12.09
- Archie Kreutzberger (North Albury, NSW) 2:13.98
- Harrison Tancred (Aquablitz, Toongabbie, NSW) 2:14.63
15 years
200m individual medley
- Grayson Doig (Trinity Grammar, NSW) 2:07.90
- Ryan Bambach (Sunshine Coast Grammar, QLD) 2:10.43
- Malik Amin (Blacktown, NSW) 2:11.08
50 backstroke
- Jack Morrow (Propulsion, VIC) 27.36
- Campbell Wilson-Moran (Haileybury, VIC) 27.40
- Samuel Hicks (Westside Christchurch, WA) 27.74
16 years
200m Freestyle
- Marcus da Silva (Cranbrook, NSW) 150.48
- Xavier Collins (Westside Christchurch, WA) 1:50.27
- Liam Molloy (Haileybury, VIC) 1:50.31
100m breaststroke
- Albert Damin An (TASS Swimming, Cairns, QLD) 1:04.68
- Randal Ingram (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:04.95
- Jacob Nimmo (Propulsion, VIC) 1:05.43
17 years
200m freestyle
- Flynn Southam (Bond, QLD) 1:46.24
- Anders McAlpine (Chandler, QLD) 1:48.24
- Hunter Milgate (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:51.81
100m backstroke
- Alexander Foreman (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins, NSW) 56.77
- Thomas Prowton (Arena, WA) 56.86
- Joshua Kerr (Manly, NSW) 57.42
50m butterfly
- Thomas Pattison (Churchie, QLD) 23.92
- Kai Lilienthal (Knox Pymble, NSW) 24.81
- Gus Gyllenhammer (Carlile, NSW) 25.26
18 years
50m breaststroke
- Haig Buckingham (SOPAC) 28.39
- Felix Wilson (Rackley, QLD) 28.77
- Joshua Anderson (Brisbane Grammar, QLD) 1:12.82
400m individual medley
- Noah Kamprad (Miami, QLD) 4:25.97
- Callum Thomas (The Hills, NSW) 4:27.43
- Robert Thorpe (St Peters Western, QLD) 4:28.75
100m freestyle
- Edward Sommerville (Brisbane Grammar, QLD) 49.60
- Jamie Mooney (Wagga Wagga, NSW) 50.07
- Jack Goyen (Marist College Ashgrove, QLD) 50.44