On one end of the spectrum, you have Emily Seebohm, who just qualified for her sixth World Championship team in the 100 backstroke. On another end of the spectrum, you have Matthew Wilson, who qualified for his first senior national team for Australia in the 200 breaststroke. Both of those swimmers posted times ranked in the top two in the world this year in their respective event on Monday night at the 2017 Australian Swimming Championships in Brisbane. Emma McKeon also won her third straight 100 butterfly crown to clinch her second event for Budapest this summer. Australia also saw a decent set of 200 freestyles from the men as they are looking to get back on the podium in the 4×200 free relay on the men’s side this summer. Mack Horton, Kyle Chalmers, Alexander Graham and Jack Cartwright finished in the top four in that event tonight.
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Taylor McKeown won her second national title in three years in the 100 breaststroke with a win Monday night in Brisbane at 1:07.23. The time is short of the 1:07.11 automatic qualifying time for Budapest. McKeown is better in the 200 breaststroke and if she gets under the qualifying time in that event, she will most likely be selected to be Australia’s breaststroker in the 400 medley relay. McKeown is now fifth in the world in the event.
Jessica Hansen finished in second at 1:07.33, while Leiston Pickett was third at 1:07.52. Georgia Bohl, Tessa Wallace, Abbey Harkin, Aisling Scott and Sarah Beale also competed in the championship final.
Event 16 Women 100 LC Metre Breaststroke
==================================================================
World: 1:04.35 29/07/2013Ruta Meilutyte, LTU
Commonwealth: 1:05.09 20/03/2006Leisel Jones, Australia
Australian: R 1:05.09 20/03/2006Leisel Jones, Commercial
All Comers: A 1:05.09 20/03/2006Leisel Jones, Commercial
SALWQT: Q 1:07.11
Title Holder: 1:06.12 9/04/2016 Georgia Bohl, StPeters Western
Meet Qualifying: 1:15.00
Name Age Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 MCKEOWN, TAYLOR 22 USC SPARTANS 1:08.64 1:07.23 876
r:+0.73 32.17 1:07.23 (35.06)
2 HANSEN, JESSICA 21 NUN 1:07.74 1:07.33 873
r:+0.66 31.65 1:07.33 (35.68)
3 PICKETT, LEISTO 25 SOUTHPORT 1:09.01 1:07.52 865
r:+0.74 31.96 1:07.52 (35.56)
4 BOHL, GEORGIA 19 STPETERSWESTERN 1:08.29 1:08.29 836
r:+0.67 32.64 1:08.29 (35.65)
5 WALLACE, TESSA 23 PELICAN WTRS 1:09.04 1:08.38 833
r:+0.68 32.39 1:08.38 (35.99)
6 HARKIN, ABBEY 18 STPETERSWESTERN 1:10.60 1:10.28 767
r:+0.69 32.96 1:10.28 (37.32)
7 SCOTT, AISLING 24 BRISBANE GRAMMAR 1:09.76 1:10.70 754
r:+0.69 33.33 1:10.70 (37.37)
8 BEALE, SARAH 16 ACACIA BAYSIDE 1:11.03 1:11.04 743
r:+0.73 33.12 1:11.04 (37.92)
Women’s 100 Butterfly
Emma McKeon won her third straight national title in the 100 fly with a 57.27 Monday night. That time moves her to second in the world rankings behind Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (57.12). McKeon was also the only one under the automatic qualifying time (58.05) and has qualified for her third straight World Championships. McKeon also finished second in the 100 free last night, so this is her second event in Budapest.
Brianna Throssell finished in second, just shy of the automatic qualifying time at 58.83. Throssell is a better 200 butterflyer and will challenge for a Budapest spot in that event later on in the meet. Jemma Schlicht, Gemma Cooney, Emily Washer, Laura Taylor, Christina Licciardi and Sara Saal also swam in the championship final.
Event 18 Women 100 LC Metre Butterfly
==================================================================
World: 55.48 7/08/2016 Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden
Commonwealth: 56.23 27/07/2009Jessicah Schipper, Australia
Australian: R 56.23 27/07/2009Jessicah Schipper, Commercial
All Comers: A 56.61 17/09/2000Inge de Bruijn, Netherlands
SALWQT: Q 58.05
Title Holder: 56.89 8/04/2016 Emma McKeon, StPeters Western
Meet Qualifying: 1:03.50
Name Age Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 MCKEON, EMMA 22 STPETERSWESTERN 58.15 57.27Q 909
r:+0.68 26.58 57.27 (30.69)
2 THROSSELL, BRIA 21 WEST COAST SWIM 59.11 58.83 838
r:+0.67 27.98 58.83 (30.85)
3 SCHLICHT, JEMMA 19 USC SPARTANS 59.49 59.08 828
r:+0.79 27.67 59.08 (31.41)
4 COONEY, GEMMA 17 BRISBANE GRAMMAR 59.27 59.17 824
r:+0.70 27.67 59.17 (31.50)
5 WASHER, EMILY 20 CARL 59.61 59.29 819
r:+0.72 27.61 59.29 (31.68)
6 TAYLOR, LAURA 17 TSS AQUATICS 59.41 59.70 802
r:+0.68 27.92 59.70 (31.78)
7 LICCIARDI, CHRI 21 SOSC 59.92 59.99 790
r:+0.65 27.94 59.99 (32.05)
8 SAAL, SARA 30 COMMERCIAL 1:00.09 1:00.27 780
r:+0.67 27.96 1:00.27 (32.31)
Men’s 200 Freestyle
In one of the craziest races of the meet, Mack Horton took out the Men’s 200 free with a 1:46.38 for his second national title of the meet. Horton was in eighth place at the 150 and released a furious charge over the final 50 to out-touch Kyle Chalmers who finished second at 1:46.87. Chalmers also finished furiously as he was fifth at the 150. Chalmers and Horton were the only swimmers to finish faster than 27 seconds.
Neither of the top two finished under the automatic qualifying time, but are expected to qualify in other events so they can elect to choose to race the 200 in Budapest. Alexander Graham (1:47.39) and Jack Cartwright (1:47.57) finished third and fourth for relay consideration.
Horton moves up to second in the world behind Italian Gabriele Detti (1:46.38) while Chalmers moves to fourth behind South Africa’s Chad Le Clos (1:46.84).
Early leader Cameron McEvoy faded to fifth (1:47.60) and may be considered for a potential relay spot this summer. Clyde Lewis, Daniel Smith and David McKeon also competed in the championship final.
Event 17 Men 200 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
World: 1:42.00 28/07/2009Paul Biedermann, Germany
Commonwealth: 1:44.06 25/07/2001Ian Thorpe, Australia
Australian: R 1:44.06 25/07/2001Ian Thorpe, SLC Aquadot
All Comers: A 1:43.86 27/03/2007Michael Phelps, USA
SALWQT: Q 1:46.45
Title Holder: 1:45.63 9/04/2014 McEvoy/Fraser-Holmes, QLD
Meet Qualifying: 1:55.00
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 HORTON, MACK 20 MVC 1:48.31 1:46.83 870
r:+0.74 25.51 53.38 (27.87)
1:20.72 (27.34) 1:46.83 (26.11)
2 CHALMERS, KYLE 18 MARI 1:48.03 1:46.87 869
r:+0.71 25.08 52.50 (27.42)
1:20.33 (27.83) 1:46.87 (26.54)
3 GRAHAM, ALEXAND 21 BOND 1:47.70 1:47.39 856
r:+0.71 25.17 52.37 (27.20)
1:20.29 (27.92) 1:47.39 (27.10)
4 CARTWRIGHT, JAC 18 STPETERSWESTERN 1:47.98 1:47.57 852
r:+0.70 24.89 52.41 (27.52)
1:20.11 (27.70) 1:47.57 (27.46)
5 MCEVOY, CAMERON 22 BOND 1:47.97 1:47.60 851
r:+0.62 24.98 52.12 (27.14)
1:19.73 (27.61) 1:47.60 (27.87)
6 LEWIS, CLYDE 19 STPETERSWESTERN 1:47.84 1:47.73 848
r:+0.67 25.30 52.60 (27.30)
1:20.47 (27.87) 1:47.73 (27.26)
7 SMITH, DANIEL 25 STPETERSWESTERN 1:47.57 1:48.15 838
r:+0.72 25.00 52.49 (27.49)
1:20.08 (27.59) 1:48.15 (28.07)
8 MCKEON, DAVID 24 STPETERSWESTERN 1:48.27 1:48.35 834
r:+0.71 25.03 52.34 (27.31)
1:20.39 (28.05) 1:48.35 (27.96)
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
The first person of the night to qualify for the World Championship team was not who anyone expected, but who a lot of people were hopeful he’d finally pull through. Matthew Wilson swam a personal best time of 2:09.29 to make his first National senior team for Australia in the 200 breaststroke after missing the automatic qualifying time last year to be able to swim in Rio. This is also the first time Australia will have a representative in the event at either the Olympics or World Championships since Brenton Rickard finished seventh in 2012. Wilson is now second in the world rankings behind Italy’s Luca Pizzini (2:09.23).
Zac Stubblety-Cook (2:10.53) and George Harley (2:10.67) gave Wilson a good push throughout the race as the 18-year-olds missed the 2:09.64 qualification time, but give Australia some hope for the future in an event they have been lacking in since Rickard and Christian Sprenger’s retirement.
Alex Milligan, Joshua Tierney, Liam Hunter, Lennard Bremer and Ewan Bennett also swam in the championship final.
Event 19 Men 200 LC Metre Breaststroke
==================================================================
World: 2:06.67 30/01/2017Ippei Watanabe, Japan
Commonwealth: 2:07.30 24/07/2014Ross Murdoch, Scotland
Australian: R 2:07.31 30/07/2009Christian Sprenger, Commercial
All Comers: A 2:08.25 10/05/2009Ryo Tateishi, Japan
SALWQT: Q 2:09.64
Title Holder: 2:09.90 11/04/2016Matthew Wilson, SOPAC
Meet Qualifying: 2:27.00
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 WILSON, MATTHEW 18 SOSC 2:10.51 2:09.29Q 948
r:+0.63 29.38 1:02.17 (32.79)
1:35.40 (33.23) 2:09.29 (33.89)
2 STUBBLETY-COOK, 18 UNAQ 2:15.33 2:10.53 921
r:+0.74 29.93 1:03.18 (33.25)
1:37.16 (33.98) 2:10.53 (33.37)
3 HARLEY, GEORGE 18 BRW 2:11.94 2:10.67 918
r:+0.63 30.41 1:03.88 (33.47)
1:37.64 (33.76) 2:10.67 (33.03)
4 MILLIGAN, ALEX 19 WEST COAST SWIM 2:14.05 2:13.23 866
r:+0.66 30.31 1:04.15 (33.84)
1:38.01 (33.86) 2:13.23 (35.22)
5 TIERNEY, JOSHUA 21 TSS AQUATICS 2:16.14 2:15.20 829
r:+0.69 30.77 1:05.69 (34.92)
1:40.46 (34.77) 2:15.20 (34.74)
6 HUNTER, LIAM 19 CHANDLER 2:15.90 2:15.74 819
r:+0.66 30.36 1:04.77 (34.41)
1:40.23 (35.46) 2:15.74 (35.51)
7 BREMER, LENNARD 22 WEST COAST SWIM 2:15.84 2:16.12 812
r:+0.60 30.68 1:05.00 (34.32)
1:39.74 (34.74) 2:16.12 (36.38)
8 BENNETT, EWAN 22 MLC 2:18.53 2:18.48 771
r:+0.60 30.42 1:05.39 (34.97)
1:41.34 (35.95) 2:18.48 (37.14)
Women’s 400 Individual Medley
Blair Evans won her second straight national title in the 400 IM on Monday night at the Australian Swimming Championships, but she missed the automatic qualifying time for the World Championships. Evans won the race at 4:41.46, off the 4:38.20 qualifying standard. Evans lead the race wire to wire and never relinquished her lead. Evans is a veteran on the Australian national team, representing Australia at the 2009 Worlds, so it is unclear if she will still be taken to Budapest this summer.
Meg Bailey finished in second at 4:43.67 and Kiah Melverton was third at 4:44.06. Keryn McMaster, Chelsea Gubecka, Calypso Sheridan, Tianni Gilmour and Samantha Wilkins also competed in the championship final.
Event 20 Women 400 LC Metre IM
==================================================================
World: 4:26.36 6/08/2016 Katinka Hosszu, Hungary
Commonwealth: 4:29.45 10/08/2008Stephanie Rice, Australia
Australian: R 4:29.45 10/08/2008Stephanie Rice, StPeters Western
All Comers: A 4:31.46 22/03/2008Stephanie Rice, StPeters Western
SALWQT: Q 4:38.20
Title Holder: 4:35.26 7/04/2016 Blair Evans, UWA West Coast
Meet Qualifying: 5:04.50
Name Age Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 EVANS, BLAIR 26 WEST COAST SWIM 4:43.67 4:41.46 847
r:+0.70 29.94 1:04.08 (34.14)
1:40.57 (36.49) 2:15.99 (35.42)
2:55.93 (39.94) 3:37.34 (41.41)
4:09.92 (32.58) 4:41.46 (31.54)
2 BAILEY, MEG 20 HUNT 4:48.16 4:43.67 827
r:+0.73 30.87 1:04.26 (33.39)
1:41.49 (37.23) 2:18.21 (36.72)
2:58.27 (40.06) 3:38.78 (40.51)
4:11.82 (33.04) 4:43.67 (31.85)
3 MELVERTON, KIAH 20 TSS AQUATICS 4:48.21 4:44.06 824
r:+0.69 30.43 1:04.50 (34.07)
1:43.03 (38.53) 2:21.23 (38.20)
3:01.03 (39.80) 3:41.86 (40.83)
4:14.01 (32.15) 4:44.06 (30.05)
4 MCMASTER, KERYN 23 TRINITY AQUATIC 4:48.17 4:48.44 787
r:+0.73 29.93 1:04.92 (34.99)
1:41.54 (36.62) 2:17.41 (35.87)
3:00.19 (42.78) 3:42.44 (42.25)
4:16.37 (33.93) 4:48.44 (32.07)
5 GUBECKA, CHELSE 18 KAWANA WATERS 4:48.30 4:51.79 760
r:+0.65 29.93 1:04.28 (34.35)
1:42.83 (38.55) 2:20.90 (38.07)
3:03.72 (42.82) 3:47.27 (43.55)
4:20.74 (33.47) 4:51.79 (31.05)
6 SHERIDAN, CALYP 18 BRISBANE GRAMMAR 4:54.25 4:53.13 750
r:+0.68 29.89 1:06.91 (37.02)
1:44.28 (37.37) 2:22.35 (38.07)
3:03.63 (41.28) 3:45.18 (41.55)
4:19.48 (34.30) 4:53.13 (33.65)
7 GILMOUR, TIANNI 21 USC SPARTANS 4:51.62 4:53.69 746
r:+0.74 29.85 1:04.47 (34.62)
1:42.21 (37.74) 2:19.70 (37.49)
3:02.29 (42.59) 3:44.97 (42.68)
4:19.82 (34.85) 4:53.69 (33.87)
8 WILKINS, SAMANT 22 NUN 4:55.84 4:58.52 710
r:+0.72 30.54 1:06.24 (35.70)
1:44.23 (37.99) 2:22.48 (38.25)
3:05.22 (42.74) 3:49.96 (44.74)
4:23.92 (33.96) 4:58.52 (34.60)
Men’s 50 Butterfly
Brayden McCarthy won his first national title in the 50 butterfly on Monday night in Brisbane with a 23.70 to out-touch David Morgan at 23.82. The 50 stroke events are not World Championship qualifying events, but if McCarthy were to qualify in another event, then he could elect to swim the 50 in Budapest. Morgan’s best chance to qualify for World’s will be in the 200 later on in the meet after he won the 100 last night but failed to reach the qualifying standard.
Christopher Raven, Cameron Jones, Nicholas Brown, Teodoros Benehoutsos, Dominic Richardson and Edward Marks also swam in the championship final.
Event 21 Men 50 LC Metre Butterfly
==================================================================
World: 22.43 5/04/2009 Rafael Munoz, Spain
Commonwealth: 22.73 27/07/2009Matt Targett, Australia
Australian: R 22.73 27/07/2009Matt Targett, Melb. Vicentre
All Comers: A 23.11 26/11/2009Geoff Huegill, SOPAC
Title Holder: 23.72 7/04/2016 Daniel Lester, Lawnton
Meet Qualifying: 25.50
Name Age Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 MCCARTHY, BRAYD 19 BOND 24.07 23.70 847
r:+0.66
2 MORGAN, DAVID 23 TSS AQUATICS 24.30 23.82 834
r:+0.60
3 RAVEN, CHRISTOP 23 USC SPARTANS 23.95 24.08 808
r:+0.74
4 JONES, CAMERON 20 STPETERSWESTERN 24.42 24.12 804
r:+0.63
5 BROWN, NICHOLAS 21 WSS 24.55 24.34 782
r:+0.69
6 BENEHOUTSOS, (V 19 UNAV 24.47 24.35 781
r:+0.73
6 RICHARDSON, DOM 19 TSS AQUATICS 24.29 24.35 781
r:+0.67
8 MARKS, EDWARD 20 CARL 24.68 24.47 770
r:+0.63
Women’s 100 Backstroke
Emily Seebohm won her tenth 100 backstroke national title on Monday night in Brisbane with a 58.62 for a spot on her sixth World Championship team. Seebohm first represented Australia as a 14-year-old at the 2007 Worlds in Melbourne where she finished fourth. Since, Seebohm has won her seventh straight national title and also broke her own All Comers record that she set in December 2015 at 58.70. Seebohm was also easily under the 59.71 qualifiying time and is currently second in the world rankings behind Canada’s Kylie Masse (58.21).
Also picking up a spot on the team for Budapest this summer was 29-year-old Holly Barratt who will represent Australia at the World Championships for the first time in a David Plummer-esque performance. Barratt was second at 59.66, just under the 59.71 qualifying time. Barratt out-swam promising junior Minna Atherton (1:00.53) Olympian Madison Wilson (1:00.76) who faded to sixth and seventh respectively.
Hayley Baker, Kaylee McKeown, Sian Whittaker and Amy Forrester also competed in the championship final.
Event 22 Women 100 LC Metre Backstroke
==================================================================
World: 58.12 28/07/2009Gemma Spofforth, GBR
Commonwealth: 58.12 28/07/2009Gemma Spofforth, GBR
Australian: R 58.23 28/07/2012Emily Seebohm, Brothers
All Comers: A 58.70 14/12/2015Emily Seebohm, Brisbane Grammar
SALWQT: Q 59.71
Title Holder: 58.73 9/04/2016 Emily Seebohm, Brisbane Grammar
Meet Qualifying: 1:06.00
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 SEEBOHM, EMILY 24 BRISBANE GRAMMAR 59.86 58.62A 974
r:+0.72 28.67 58.62 (29.95)
2 BARRATT, HOLLY 29 ROC 1:01.17 59.66Q 924
r:+0.53 28.97 59.66 (30.69)
3 BAKER, HAYLEY 21 MVC 1:00.54 1:00.25 897
r:+0.48 29.51 1:00.25 (30.74)
4 MCKEOWN, KAYLEE 15 USC SPARTANS 1:01.34 1:00.28 896
r:+0.61 29.08 1:00.28 (31.20)
5 WHITTAKER, SIAN 19 MVC 1:00.63 1:00.36 892
r:+0.61 29.54 1:00.36 (30.82)
6 ATHERTON, MINNA 16 BRISBANE GRAMMAR 1:00.94 1:00.53 885
r:+0.65 29.40 1:00.53 (31.13)
7 WILSON, MADISON 22 STPETERSWESTERN 1:00.57 1:00.76 875
r:+0.57 29.32 1:00.76 (31.44)
8 FORRESTER, AMY 19 BOND 1:01.99 1:02.40 808
r:+0.65 30.03 1:02.40 (32.37)
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