BRISBANE, Australia, July 17. DAY four of the Australian Short Course Championships certainly produced some swift swimming from a variety of athletes, including a national record, an All-Comers record and two multi-disability world records.
Emily Seebohm kept on trucking in what has become an amazing meet for the 18-year-old swimmer. She's already put an Australian record in the books this week, and added another one in the women's 200 IM finale. Seebohm overtook youngster Kotuku Ngawati, 16, down the stretch as both cleared the national mark of 2:08.09 set by Seebohm last year at this meet. Seebohm won the race in 2:07.64, while Ngawati put her name into the international conscience with a second-place 2:07.76. Ngawati led heading into the final 50 meters, 1:37.97 to 1:38.44, and even led with just 25 meters left, 1:53.46 to 1:53.83. Seebohm, however, had just way too much in the tank and put up a final split of 13.81 against Ngawati's 14.30 for the win and the record. Notably, Tiffany Papaemanouil took third in 2:10.40.
"I was a bit surprised when I saw the time, but when I saw the girl (Ngawati) out in lane 7, I was like ‘no I can't let you win' so I had to dig in deep and win that one," Seebohm told Swimming Australia. "My heart rate was really high tonight and when I turned at the breaststroke, and saw I was behind, I just put my head down and smashed the freestyle as hard as I could."
"At our state short course meet a month ago I went a two seventeen, and then at Trans Tasman last week I got the meet record and went a two ten and to go two seven tonight and go under the old Australian record is just really, really amazing," Ngawati told Swimming Australia. "To do something like a nine second PB (personal best) in a month is just an amazing achievement for me."
Leisel Jones opened the night with an Australian All-Comers record in the women's 100 breast. She turned in a time of 1:03.63, to break her previous record of 1:03.72 set in 2008. She finished just a bit off her Australian record of 1:03.00 set last year as well. Sarah Katsoulis placed second in 1:06.14, while Leiston Pickett grabbed third in 1:06.59.
Grant Patterson and Ahmed Kelly lowered multi-disability world records in the men's 100 breast according to Swimming Australia. Patterson crushed the SB2 world record by more than 20 seconds with a 2:18.71, while Kelly cut the SB3 world record by more than 10 seconds with a 1:49.78. Adam Morley set the previous SB2mark with a 2:40.22 way back in 1997, while Xavier Torres Ramis owned the previous SB3 mark with a 2:00.39 set in 2003.
Ben Treffers earned the men's 50 back title in 23.81, while Ashley Delaney checked in with a second-place 24.17. Daniel Arnamnart touched third in 24.24. Meanwhile, Geoff Huegill won the men's 50 fly in 22.95, while Chris Wright finished second in 23.39. Adam Pine took third in 23.45.
In semifinal swimming, Marieke Guehrer paced the women's 50 back with a 26.98, while Rachel Goh qualified second on 27.15. Matthew Abood posted a 47.05 to lead the men's 100 free with Tommaso D'Orsogna finishing second in 47.73.
Also in semis, budding sprint superstar Yolane Kukla, 14, paced the women's 50 free with a 24.38, while Guehrer touched second in 24.63. Felicity Galvez then posted the fastest time in the women's 100 fly with a 58.00, while Kukla qualified second in 58.25.
In even more semifinal action, Kenneth To topped qualifying in the men's 100 IM with a 53.09, while D'Orsogna hit the wall second in 53.53. Brenton Rickard clocked a 27.41 in the men's 50 breast with Brad Morrison qualifying second in 27.58.
In other multi-disability events, Kayla Clarke was listed first in the women's 50 free with a 29.55, while Peter Leek was listed first in the men's 50 free with a 26.09. Tanya Huebner was listed first in the women's 100 breast with a 1:42.37.