Australian Trials: Heavens Above, Teen Sensations Sam Short And Mollie O’Callaghan Rocket Up The Rankings With World Best Times in Melbourne

by Ian Hanson - Oceania Correspondent

15 June 2023, 05:04am

Australian swimming’s green and bold teen machines Sam Short and Mollie O’Callaghan have rocketed to the top of the world tonight, racing to emphatic freestyle victories on night three of the World Trials at the Melbourne Sports And Aquatic Centre.

First it was O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) who swam over the top of Olympic champion, club mate and training partner Ariarne Titmus in the much-anticipated women’s 200m freestyle, and the girls didn’t disappoint.

GUNS AND POSES: Sam Short muscled his way to the top of the world in the 800m freestyle in Melbourne. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Either did Short (Rackley Swim Team, QLD), already the fastest swimmer in the world this year over 400m,  who powered home over the final 100m and to his second world No 1 ranking, winning the 800m freestyle in 7:40.39 – breaking an Ian Thorpe record for good measure.

In the all-star women’s 200m freestyle final it was “Mollie O” who kicked on down then final lap to clock a stunning 1:53.83 (27.08; 56.29;1:25.54) – the fastest time in the world this year and the fifth fastest time in history – with only world record holder Federica Pellegrini (ITA), Titmus and US pair Alison Schmitt and Katie Ledecky swimming faster.

The time edges O’Callaghan past Canadian wunderkind Summer McIntosh whose Junior World Record time of 1:53.91 had been the previous fastest time in the world this year.

O’Callaghan admitted she was “so nervous” and she was just hoping for a personal best time and to get top two.

“I am just so happy and over-joyed…no matter how I’m feeling in a race I’m still going to go for it,”said O’Callaghan, the reigning World and Commonwealth champion over 100m freestyle.

“This is what I train for. This is what Dean has guided me through so no matter how much I’m hurting I’m still going to push that last 50m no matter what…it’s exciting heading to worlds…I’ll be nervous but let’s see what I can do.

Titmus, 22, who led O’Callaghan for the first 150 metres, finished a gallant second in 1:54.14 (26.88; 55.88; 1:25.38) with 21-year-old Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) – second to Titmus in the 400m – third in a personal best time of 1:56.03 (27.13; 56.81;1:26.59).

“My backend has always been my strength but coming into this meet I know that I had to try and practice my front end a little bit more. So this morning, I did that in the heat and I felt quite good. I think with a little bit more of a rest, hopefully my legs will freshen up a bit going into worlds,” said Titmus, who spoke about the St Peters  Western depth.

“When you look at the scoreboard at the end of the final and see that, and most of the women in the field are under the individual qualifying time which is incredible. It just goes to show the incredible depth that we have, which I feel really grateful to be a part of.  To have five St Peters Western girls in the final, it’s kind of just like training.”

In fact, there were seven Australian girls under the World Championship qualifying time of 1:56.87 – with Madi Wilson (Marion, SA) 1:56.68, Kiah Melverton (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:56.85, Brianna Throssell (St Peters Western, QLD) a second personal best of the day 1:56.87 all in the A final and fellow St Peters Western squad member Shayna Jack winning the B final in 1:56.82.

Not only a world class advertisement for Australia’s extraordinary depth in women’s freestyle but also in Dean Boxall’s St Peters Western super group  – with five girls wearing the SPW caps.

Titmus, O’Callaghan, Melverton and Wilson were all members of Australia’s world record breaking women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team from last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – now a team with an embarrassment of riches who are ready to rock the world  in Fukuoka as this plethora of talented females also campaigning for Olympic gold in 2024.

GOOD GOLLY: Mollie O’Callaghan so happy with her 200m freestyle win. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Not to be outdone it was men’s 400m freestyle combatants from night one, Short and reigning 400m freestyle world champion Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD) who lined up for round two over 800m freestyle.

And the boys didn’t disappoint either, with Winnington taking it to Short over the first 100m before Short took over with his dogged, powerhouse stroke and turns pushing ahead at the 150m and 200m turn -touching in 1:52.54 to Winnington’s 1:53.08.

And Short, the reigning Commonwealth champion over 1500m and Australian champion over 400, 800 and 1500m continued full steam ahead, upping his stroke rate and kick speed  down the final 100m with his 7:40.39 (26.51; 55.12; 1:52.54; 2:50.64; 3:48.97; 4:47.33; 5:45.84; 6:44.17) not only the fastest time in the world this year but also the 10^th fastest time in history – and just 1.74secs shy of Grant Hackett’s 2005 Australian record of 7:38.65 and a world record at  the time.

Short, who broke a Kieren Perkins record as an age grouper was just as chuffed to break the Australian All-Comers record (fastest time swum in Australia) of 7:41.59 held by Ian Thorpe – the world record time set by arguably Australia’s greatest ever and the last time the Worlds were swum in Fukuoka in 2001.

Winnington hung on bravely to finish third in 7:45.75 – the eighth fastest time in the world, just outside his personal best but under the all-important qualifying time for Fukuoka with the ever-present and improving Matthew Galea (SOPAC, NSW) third in 7:53.33.

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“I knew Thorpie held the Australian All-Comers record and I said to Damien Jones my coach I reckon I can get it…it hurt a lot but I got it…I’m so stoked,” said Short.

“I held off Elijah in the 400 which gave me a lot of confidence and I knew he would come out all guns blazing and we had both swum top times in the world this year and I knew if I was with or ahead of Elijah at the 400m it would give me my best shot because his closing speed is better than mine.

“I had to put a gap on him and I did and it was my day…when you are out in front it makes it a whole lot easier to push – I have been grinding through in training most of the year by myself – Damien pushes me and I’ve learnt to train myself to push myself even when I’m by myself and it has paid off today.”

2023 Australian Trials, Melbourne Sports And Aquatic Centre, results, DAY 3:

Men’s 200m butterfly

Bowen Gough (Griffith University, QLD) 1.56.01

Harrison Turner (Chandler) 1.57.77

William Petric (Nunawading) 1.58.24

Bowen Gough. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Women’s 200m freestyle

Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD,) 1.53.83 (Q)

Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD) 1.54.14 (Q)

Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) 1.56.03

Mollie O’Callaghan. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Men’s 50m breaststroke

Samuel Williamson (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) 27.17

Haig Buckingham (SOPAC, NSW) , 27.53

Nash Wilkes, (Southport, QLD) 27.72

Sam Williamson. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Women’s 50m butterfly

Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD) 25.92

Lily Price (Rackley Swim Team, QLD) 25.97

Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD) 26.09,

Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Men’s 800m freestyle

Samuel Short (Rackley Swim Team, NSW) 7.40.39, All-Comers Record (Q)

Elijah Winnington St Peters Western, QLD) 7.45.75 (Q)

Matthew Galea (SOPAC, NSW) 7.53.33

Sam Short. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Automatic Australian Team Qualifiers after three days:

Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD) – 200IM

Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD) – 100m butterfly

Kaylee McKeown (Griffith University, QLD) – 200IM, 100m backstroke

Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) – 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle

Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) – 400m freestyle

Sam Short (Rackley Swim Team, QLD) – 400, 800m freestyle

Brianna Throssell (St Peters Western, QLD) – 100m butterfly

Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD) – 200, 400m freestyle

Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD) 400, 800m freestyle

For full results – click here.
For full program – click here.

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