The 2017 Hancock Prospecting Australian SC Championships has already produced some very fast times as one world record has already fallen thanks to Cate Campbell. Olympians Kyle Chalmers and Jess Ashwood also made returns to the pool after sitting out World Championships, along with Campbell. Veterans David McKeon, Blair Evans and Emily Seebohm also won national titles on Thursday night in Adelaide.
Schedule of Events:
- Men’s 200 IM Multi-Class (Final)
- Women’s 200 IM Multi-Class (Final)
- Men’s 400 Free (Final)
- Women’s 200 Back (Final)
- Men’s 200 Fly (Final)
- Women’s 100 Breast (Final)
- Women’s 100 Free (Final)
- Men’s 100 Free (Final)
- Women’s 400 IM (Final)
- Women’s 50 Free Multi-Class (Final)
- Men’s 50 Free Multi-Class (Final)
- Women’s 800 Free (Final)
Men’s 200 IM Multi-Class (Final)
Women’s 200 IM Multi-Class (Final)
Men’s 400 Free (Final)
Olympian David McKeon claimed the 400 free title in 3:42.79. He took an early lead in the event after the first 100, and was able to hold off Joshua Parrish (3:44.25) and Jack McLoughlin (3:44.39). McLoughlin held the second position up until the final 50, but all three men came in under their seed times. Teenager Nathan Robinson was not far behind in 3:45.29 for the fourth spot. He was in the mix with the veteran racers through the 350 mark.
USA’s Jordan Wilimovsky (3:46.08), Jorden Merrilees (3:46.08), Ben Roberts (3:48.11) and Ethan Owens (3:48.59) rounded out the top 8 finishers.
Women’s 200 Back (Final)
Backstroke queen Emily Seebohm was just off her winning time of 2:01.82 from these Championships last year. She still delivered a dominant win in 2:02.72, leading the race from start to finish. The lone swimmer out under 1:00, Seebohm won the race by over two full seconds.
Sian Whittaker was also dominant for second, coming in at 2:05.05 just off her personal best. She was over four seconds ahead of the next-closest competitor, 16-year-old Samantha Schlicht who finished in 2:09.24 for third. It was the youngster’s first time under the 2:10 barrier. She touched just ahead of Jordan White (2:09.49) and Jessie Quinn (2:09.70).
Micaela Habib (2:11.94), Gabriella Peiniger (2:13.15) and Isabel McLachlan (2:13.42) also competed in the final.
Men’s 200 Fly (Final)
Japan’s Daiya Seto took the men’s 200 fly title in 1:51.60. David Morgan was the top Australian swimmer, finishing in 1:53.37 for second overall. Nicholas Brown was next in 1:53.66, just off his best time. The two battled it out throughout the race, with Morgan out first between the two in 54.97. Brown took back control at the 175 mark with a half a second lead, but could not withstand a blistering 13.82 final 25 from Morgan.
Bowen Gough (1:55.59), Brodie Cook (1:56.86), Tomas Elliott (1:56.87), Edwards Marks (1:57.52) and Hamish McDougall (1:58.02) finished fourth through eighth.
Women’s 100 Breast (Final)
Australia’s Jessica Hansen was just off her lifetime best in 100 breast posting a 1:05.61 to narrowly edge out Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte who was second in 1:05.69. Meilutyte had the advantage at the 50 30.66 to 31.08, but Hansen made up the difference on the final 25 17.55 6o 17.96.
A similar battle emerged for the third position between Taylor McKeown (1:06.56), Georgia Bohl (1:06.68) and Tessa Wallace (1:06.74). Between the three, Bohl had the early lead through the 50, but McKeown took over in the back half. Wallace had the quickest last 25 of the bunch in 17.63, the second-fastest in the entire field.
Mikayla Smith (1:08.37), Cassandra Van Breugel (1:08.52) and Emily Washer (1:08.81) placed sixth, seventh and eighth.
Women’s 100 Free (Final)
The Campbell sisters maintained their sprint prowess by taking the top two spots in the 100 free. In the process, Cate Campbell took back her World Record in the event after it was broken by Sarah Sjostrom earlier this year. Both her opening and closing fifties were faster than when she originally broke the mark in 2016. Also of note, Bronte Campbell was under her lifetime best.
Emma McKeon dropped over a half a second from her previous best in 52.25 for third. She was the only other swimmer under the 53-second mark. Shayna Jack (53.17), Brittany Elmslie (53.29), Madison Wilson (53.56), Brianna Throssell (54.22) and Gemma Cooney (54.33) rounded out the top eight.
Men’s 100 Free (Final)
Reigning Olympic gold medalist in this event Kyle Chalmers was just off his best time to win the 100 free in 47.72. He was out in a quick 22.80 and back in 24.92. Andrew Abood, the second-place finisher, out-split the champion on the back end in 24.81. Travis Mahoney did likewise with a 24.78 before finishing third in 48.17.
Zac Incerti (48.87), Ewan Bennett (48.89), Louis Townsend (49.05), William Stockwell (49.09) and Jack Gerrard (49.39) also finished in the top eight.
Women’s 400 IM (Final)
Blair Evans made her return to competition tonight with a 4:29.20. The 26-year-old beat fellow veteran Emily Seebohm in the final as Seebohm placed second at 4:33.65. Seebohm is not normally thought of as a 400 IMer but she finished second here, showing off her versatility. International swimmer Barbora Zavadova of the Czech Republic finished third at 4:33.78 just behind Seebohm.
Tianni Gilmour (4:37.89), Jessica Adams (4:39.55), Charli Brown (4:48.99), Siobhan O’Malley (4:49.89) and Bec Cross (4:50.99) also finished in the top eight.
Women’s 50 Free Multi-Class (Final)
Men’s 50 Free Multi-Class (Final)
Women’s 800 Free (Final)
Also making her return to racing, Jess Ashwood won the 800 heat with an 8:20.41 to out pace Kiah Melverton (8:21.49) throughout. The two were back and forth the whole race and Ashwood outlasted her at the finish.
Madeline Gough (8:23.86), Leah Neale (8:28.05), Mikkayla Sheridan (8:28.58), Mikayla Messer (8:30.20), Tamsin Cook (8:30.39) and Moesha Johnson (8:32.02) also placed in the top eight.
Blimey!