Australian Short Course Champs Day 2: With Kaylee McKeown Away, Iona Anderson Comes Out To Play In 200m Backstroke
With Kaylee McKeown sitting out day two of the Australian Short Course Championships it was over to rookie Paris Olympian, Iona Anderson to make the most of the absence of swimming’s backstroking queen.
LANES OF GOLD: WA’s Iona Anderson shows her style on the way to her first Australian SC gold.(Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
Twenty-four hours after her world record breaking opening swim in the 100m backstroke, McKeown withdrew from the morning’s heats, knowing her Olympic gold medal swim would earn her a place if she decides to swim at the December World Championships in December.
And as Anderson has shown since last year’s World Junior Championships, where the 18-year-old former champion gymnast from Western Australia, won her maiden world title, she continues to give the Dolphins a strong 1-2 punch on the world stage.
Anderson, coached by former British coach Ben Higson at the WA Institute of Sport, scored an all-the-way victory in the 200m backstroke final in 2:01.80, the sixth fastest time by an Australian.
Following the opening night records to McKeown, Ed Sommerville (200m freestyle) and Josh Yong (100m breaststroke), the records continued – two in the one day in the 50m breaststroke to Queensland’s Commonwealth Games finalist Grayson Bell (Somerville House, QLD) – going so close to a sub-26.00.
There were also doubles to Sommerville and Tara Kinder who added the 200m freestyle and 400IM respectively.
Women’s 200m backstroke
HAPPY PLACE: Iona Anderson and Kaylee McKeown pooling their talents. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
Emerging WA backstroker Iona Anderson took full advantage of Kaylee McKeown’s absence to win her first open National title in 2:01.80 – the sixth fastest all-time Australian and well under the World Championship qualifying time as was second place Bella Grant’s 2:04.12.
- Iona Anderson (Breakers, WA) 2:01 80 QT
- Bella Grant (Trinity Grant, NSW) 2:04.12 QT
- Poppy Stephen (Nudgee, QLD) 2:07.54
Men’s 200m backstroke
After the heartbreak of missing the cut for the Paris Olympics, former WA boy Josh Edwards-Smith is determined to finish 2024 on a high and his slick performance tonight to win the 200m backstroke in a World Championship qualifier of 1:49.14 and the second fastest time ever by an Australian. Only bettered by former world champion Mitch Larkin’s 1:45.63.
- Josh Edwards-Smith (Griffith University, QLD) 1:49.14 QT
- Enoch Robb (All Saints, QLD) 1:50.77 QT
- Stuart Swinburn (City of Sydney, NSW) 1:51.83
Women’s 50m breaststroke
A dominant Mia O’Leary went oh so close to a sub-30 second barrier where only seven Australian swimmers have ventured with her impressive 30.09, holding off a pair off Sienna’s – 15-year-old Toohey and 20-year-old Harben as a host of emerging Aussie girls continue to bolster Australia’s ailing women’s breaststroke stocks.
- Mia O’Leary (Griffith University, QLD) 30.09
- Sienna Toohey (Albury, NSW) 30.40
- Sienna Harben (Bond, QLD) 30.47
GUNS OUT: Grayson Bell celebrates his second Australian record in the 50m breaststroke. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
Men’s 50m breaststroke
Commonwealth Games finalist Grayson Bell’s completed a perfect day in the pool breaking his second Australian record of the day in the 50m breaststroke final – stopping the clock at 26.02 after his morning heat swim of 26.11. Bell, who will contest the 50m freestyle on Sunday, co-held the previous record at 26.24 with London Olympic silver medallist Christian Sprenger. With the 50m breaststroke a non-selection event for the World SC Championships, Bell knows he has to make every post a winner in the 50m freestyle. He is in a happy place under coach Tim Lane at Somerville House in Brisbane – the program that boasts Olympic champion Cam McEvoy and a host of emerging freestyle sprinters.
- Grayson Bell (Somerville House, QLD) 26.02
- James McKechnie (Starplex, SA) 26.42
- Nash Wilkes (Southport, Q LD) 26.52
Women’s 100m freestyle
World Junior Championship 100m silver medallist Milla Jansen lived up to her recent best form, swimming her way into the All-time Australian Top Ten, her winning time of 52.31 moving her into ninth and amongst the who’s who of Australian freestyle sprinting which includes, Cate Campbell, Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon, Libby Trickett and Mollie O’Callaghan and breaking her own Australian 17 years record, previously held by Paris relay gold medallist Shayna Jack. All three girls under the Budapest QT – Alexandria Perkins and Lani Pallister posting PBs as well.
IN GOOD COMPANY: Milla Jansen joins a who’s who in the 100m freestyle rankings. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
- Milla Jansen (Bond, QLD) 52.31 QT
- Alexandria Perkins (St Peters Western, QLD) 52.85 QT
- Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) 52.91 QT
Men’s 100m freestyle
Bold teenager Ed Somerville, the boy who dislocated his shoulder six months ago claimed a rare 100-200m freestyle double, adding the 100m in the ninth fastest time by an Australian with his PB of 46.84 (22.22) to his Australian record winning swim on night one, powering home to out-touch Jamie Jack and Harrison Turner – all three under the QT of 47.12 – and Jack, brother of Olympic golden girl Shayna Jack making a bold bid for his first major Australian team.
- Ed Somerville (Brisbane Grammar, QLD) 46.84 QT
- Jamie Jack (St Peters Western, QLD) 46.91 QT
- Harrison Turner (Nudgee, QLD) 47.08 QT
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Tara Kinder’s 100 breast/400IM double. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
Women’s 400 IM
Rising Victorian star Tara Kinder charged home over the final 100m freestyle leg to claim her second win of the meet and with her second World Championship QT in the 400 IM in 4:29.78 – the fifth fastest time by an Australian. Adding to her win in the 100m breaststroke on the first night of competition. Kayla Hardy joined Kinder under the Worlds time.
- Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) 4:29.78 QT
- Kayla Hardy (Cruiz, ACT) 4:31.77 QT
- Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD) 4:37.94
Men’s 400IM
DEVIL’S OWN: Proud Arizona Sun Devil David Schlicht too slick in the 400IM. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
Arizona State University-based Victorian, David Schlicht, used all the skills that makes him a valuable member of the Sun Devils Swim Team to win his second Australian 400 IM Australian title in 4:03.55 to post an impressive QT for Budapest. An impressive performance that deserves a place on the team for Budapest – a team that is going to be tough to crack, knowing there are only 24 spots available and that Paris Olympic medallists will have first dibs. All three place-getters under the World SC time.
- David Schlicht (MLC Aquatic, VIC) 4:03.55 QT
- Karl Albertyn (Miami, QLD) 4:07.90
- Gabriel Gorgas (Manly, NSW) 4:07.97
Parting Pic…….
TONGUES OUT: Grayson Bell leaves us with his reaction to not only his second Australian record in the one day…but his 26.02..oh so closes to a 25! (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)