SYDNEY, Australia, April 7. THE penultimate day of action at the Australian Long Course Championships witnessed another national record being rewritten.
Belinda Hocking chased down the Australian record in the women's 200 back with a winning time of 2:06.88. Meagen Nay previously held the record with a 2:07.41 set back in 2009. Hocking jumped to top of the world rankings with the swim, and 10th in the all time charts. Nay, meanwhile, checked in with a second-place 2:08.08, while Mikka Sheridan wound up third in 2:09.82.
Geoff Huegill captured his 16th national title with a 52.36 to win the men's 100 fly. Sam Ashby picked up second-place honors with a 52.48, while Joseph Carty placed third in 52.91. Daniel Lester also cleared 53 seconds with a fourth-place 52.98.
Marieke Guehrer touched out Alice Mills, 26.42 to 26.43, for the women's 50 fly title. Sophie Edington placed third in 26.76. Matt Abood posted a 22.02 to win the men's 50 free, while Matt Targett checked in with a 22.15 for second. Ashley Callus earned third in 22.35, while Eamon Sullivan drifted back to a fifth-place tie with Kyle Richardson with matching 22.40s.
Katie Goldman topped the women's 800 free in 8:28.49, while Melissa Gorman finished second in 8:30.85. Blair Evans placed third in 8:33.71.
In semifinal action, Leiston Pickett put Sarah Katsoulis' national record of 30.16 on notice in the finale with a 30.67 to lead women's 50 breast qualifying. Natasha Waitzer (31.13) and Leisel Jones (31.22) qualified second and third. Bronte Campbell, 16, (24.97) and Yolane Kukla, 15, (25.02) led a young final field in the women's 50 free, while Hayden Stoeckel touched in 25.59 for the top seed in the men's 50 back. Ashley Delaney qualified second in 25.93.
Sophie Edington, Emily Selig, Grace Loh and Jessica Morrison claimed the women's 400 medley relay title in 4:07.84.
In multi-disability racing, Kayla Clarke was listed first in the women's 200 IM with a 2:35.80, while Matt Levy was listed first in the men's 200 IM with a 2:38.87.