The 2018 Aussie Short Course Championships started in Melbourne this week as the Aussies compete for qualifying spots at the Short Course World Championships later this year. Many of the country’s biggest names were on hand on the first day of finals, including Cameron McEvoy, who is making his return to competition after pulling out of Pan Pac Trials earlier this year.
McEvoy did not disappoint in his return to the pool, taking down Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers in the 100 free, 46.32 to 46.53. That narrowly missed McEvoy’s own All-Comers record from 2016 (46.19), and shows a nice return to form for the fastest man in a textile suit in the long course pool.
Also impressive on the first night was 18-year old Elijah Winnington, who finished a close second behind Jack McLoughlin and set a world junior record in the process. McLoughlin touched in 3:39.03, just .14 ahead of Winnington. Both times will qualify them for the Short Course World Championships. Notably, Olympic gold medalist Mack Horton was shut out of the medals in his signature 400 meter distance, finishing fourth in 3:45.56.
You can see a full recap of the first night of finals from the Australian Short Course Championships from Swimming Australia below, while full results are available here.
The first night of finals action at the Hancock Prospecting Australian Short Course kicked off in style with Cam McEvoy and Emily Seebohm amongst the gold medals and teenager Lani Pallister taking out the women’s 800m final.
In what was one of the hottest tickets of the night, Cam McEvoy (TSS Aquatic) pipped 2017 title holder and Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers (Marion) in 46.32 and 46.53 respectively with Rackley’s Louis Townsend (47.11) taking home the bronze.
Emily Seebohm defended her 200m backstroke title in a repeat of her 2017 time of 2:02.72, with Brisbane Grammar teammate Minna Atherton picking up silver in 2:03.26 and Sian Whittaker (Melbourne Vicentre) claiming the bronze in 2:06.21.
Fresh off Junior Pan Pacs gold medal success Lani Pallister (8:13.26) pipped Commonwealth Games gold medalist Ariarne Titmus (8:13.41) in the women’s 800m freestyle in the process with Madeleine Gough (TSS Aquatic) picking up third in 8:15.24.
Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia
In a super tight final, Jack McLoughlin (Chandler) took gold in the men’s 400m freestyle in 3:39.03 just ahead of Elijah Winnington (Bond) in 3:39.17, whose time broke the Junior World Record (provisional) with Joshua Parish (TSS Aquatic) taking the bronze in 3:41.08.
Nicholas Brown (UWA West Coast) took out the 200m butterfly securing the gold in a time of 1:52.29 ahead of Bowen Gough (Nunawading) in 1:53.47 and last year’s winner David Morgan (TSS Aquatic) in 1:55.93.
Hometown girl Jessica Hansen (Nunawading) defended her title in the 100m breaststroke in a time of 1:05.49 with Leiston Pickett (Southport) and Jenna Strauch (Bond) picking up silver and bronze respectively in 1:05.94 and 1:06.99.
Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia
Commonwealth Games gold medalist Emma McKeon (Griffith Uni) claimed gold in the 100m freestyle clocking up 52:51 with Holly Barratt (Rockingham) taking silver in 53:36 and Carla Buchanan (Acacia Bayside) the bronze at 53:39.
St Peter’s Western’s Abbey Harkins claimed the 400m IM in 4:32.57 with just .02 seconds in it for silver and bronze with Kiah Melverton just touching ahead of Mikkayla Sheridan in 4:35.20 and 4:35.22.
In the multi-class events, Matthew Levy (North Sydney) defended his Australian short course title in the men’s 200m IM final, in a time of 2:35.78, ahead of Auburn’s Ricky Betar (2:11.14) and Kawana Waters’ Liam Schluter in 2:12.91.
In the women’s 200 IM multi-class final Lawnton’s Lekeisha Patterson (2:40.45) won gold followed by Nunawading’s Madeleine Scott (2:34.05) and Sopac’s Jenna Jones (2:36.48).
Olympic gold medalist Rachael Watson took out the 50m freestyle multi-class final in 40.41 with Melbourne’s Ashleigh McConnell claiming second in 29.05 and Lakeisha Patterson third in 30.39.
In the men’s 50m freestyle multi-class the S14 swimmers took the spoils with 15-year-old Beter claiming gold in 24.06 ahead of Daniel Fox (USC Spartans) 24.29 and Jack Ireland 25.10.
With night one drawing to a close the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay saw the TSS Aquatic team (Grayson Bell, David Morgan, Joshua Parrish and Cameron McEvoy) take gold at 3:13.68. Followed by home team Melbourne Vicentre (Benno Negri, Luke Gebbie, Oliver Nash and Jack Gerrard) 3:16.13 for silver ahead of Nunawading (Andrew Rice, Matthew Temple, Bowen Gough and Gill Caiden) 3:16.90.
The final event of the evening the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay was a fight to the finish between Melbourne Vicentre (Isabel Ekelmans, Gabrirella Peiniger, Emma Malcom and Sian Whittaker) 3:42.71 narrowly beating out Nunawading (Julia Hawkins, Kayla Costa, Sophie Caldwell and Mikayla Smith) 3:42.99. Finishing with a bronze MLC Aquatic (Olivia Lefoe, Samantha Schlicht, Dominique Moloney and Alice McRobert) 3:47.65.
Heats begin tomorrow at 10.00am with finals starting at 6.30pm.
The 2018 Hancock Prospecting Australian Short Course Swimming Championships will be livestreamed on the 7plus app.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Swimming Australia. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
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