The 2017 Hancock Prospecting Australian Short Course Swimming Championships will see some of the best swimmers from Australia and the world descend on the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre to race from tomorrow, Thursday October 26 to Saturday October 28.
There will be plenty for spectators to enjoy out of the pool with the Swimming Australia fan precinct Centre Lane – complete with Food Trucks, Optus Fan Zone, music and kid’s entertainment.
Hometown hero Kyle Chalmers (Marion) will tackle the fast-paced freestyle events, having entered the 50, 100 and 200m freestyle, plus he’ll try his hand at the 50 and 100m butterfly, with the 19-year-old excited to race in front of a home crowd again.
“I’m excited to be back racing and have my first national hit out back here in Adelaide,” said Chalmers, one of 24 Australian Olympians in Adelaide for the meet.
“It’s obviously always a pleasure racing in your own pool and your own State, that you train in every day.
“It’s also awesome having family and friends coming to watch and having mum and dad cook for me during the competition is another big advantage for me!”
On top of his individual events, Chalmers will also take part in the relays for his Marion club and said, “It’s actually a pretty busy meet over the three days for me.”
While in the corresponding women’s events, the 100m freestyle will feature a stacked field with the likes of former world record holder Cate Campbell (Chandler), her 2015 World Champion sister and clubmates Bronte and Shayna Jack, 2016 short course world champion Brittany Elmslie (Brisbane Grammar) and six-time world championship medallist Emma McKeon (Griffith University), all lining up behind the blocks for a shot at the title.
The event will also see a number of big name international stars compete with Lithuanian Olympic gold medallist Ruta Meilutyte, Japan’s World Championship gold medallist Daiya Seto and US Open Water world championship gold medallist from 2015 Jordan Wilimovsky.
Meilutyte will take on her pet events, the 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke where she will come up against Aussie favourites and Budapest World Championship representatives Taylor McKeown (USC Spartans) and Jessica Hansen (Nunawading) as well as Rio Olympian Georgia Bohl (Griffith University)
A master of many strokes, Japan’s Seto will start in the 100 and 200m individual medley events as well as the 200m butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke events.
Californian based Wilimovsky, who is racing in the 400, 800 and 1500m freestyle, will need to save some energy for his final race if he wants to get the better of World Championship bronze medallist Mack Horton (Melbourne Vicentre) who will have his one and only swim of the meet in the 1500m freestyle on the last night.
Day one will also feature five-time world champion and short course specialist Emily Seebohm (Brisbane Grammar) in the 200m backstroke – up against youngsters Sian Whittaker and Kaylee McKeown.
Gold Coast’s Rio Olympian Daniel Smith (Griffith University) will also have a busy morning with the 400m freestyle and the 100 metres freestyle on the first day.
While the women’s 800 metres freestyle will also feature Rio Olympians Jess Ashwood (Chandler), Tamsin Cook UWA West Coast) and Leah Neale (USA Spartans) up against 2016 World Short Course medallist and 2017 Budapest 5km representative Kiah Melverton (TSS Aquatics).
Action begins at 11 am daily for the heats sessions with finals kicking off at 7pm each evening.
Tickets are available online here: http://bit.ly/2y3X8vq
The 2017 Hancock Prospecting Australian Short Course Swimming Championships will be livestreamed here: www.swimming.org.au
Press release courtesy of Swimming Australia.
