Live coverage of day three finals of the 2016 Australian Nationals. Hit refresh for the latest coverage.
FINALS
Women’s 400 free multi-class
Monique Murphy won the overall race with a time of 4:35.53, while Lake Patterson took second in 4:45.06. Jade Lucy wound up third in 4:52.82.
=== Finals ===
1 MURPHY, MONIQUE 21 MVC 4:33.67 4:35.53. 970
r:+0.85 31.38 1:05.34 (33.96)
1:40.29 (34.95) 2:15.32 (35.03)
2:50.41 (35.09) 3:25.63 (35.22)
4:00.91 (35.28) 4:35.53 (34.62)
2 PATTERSON, LAKE 17 UNAQ 4:48.95 4:45.06. 952
r:+0.81 33.32 1:08.84 (35.52)
1:44.79 (35.95) 2:21.02 (36.23)
2:57.24 (36.22) 3:33.50 (36.26)
4:09.75 (36.25) 4:45.06 (35.31)
3 LUCY, JADE S14 19 SLCA 4:56.50 4:52.82. 871
r:+0.88 32.65 1:09.05 (36.40)
1:45.36 (36.31) 2:22.91 (37.55)
3:00.39 (37.48) 3:38.73 (38.34)
4:16.46 (37.73) 4:52.82 (36.36)
4 HARDING, NIKESH 17 ABTO 5:13.74 5:10.37 732
r:+0.79 33.43 1:11.11 (37.68)
1:50.16 (39.05) 2:29.58 (39.42)
3:09.75 (40.17) 3:50.71 (40.96)
4:31.06 (40.35) 5:10.37 (39.31)
5 BOTHA, MEGAN S1 18 CAA 5:10.61 5:14.93 700
r:+0.76 34.76 1:13.92 (39.16)
1:53.97 (40.05) 2:33.87 (39.90)
3:14.44 (40.57) 3:54.65 (40.21)
4:35.18 (40.53) 5:14.93 (39.75)
6 DEDEKIND, KATJA 14 UQSC 5:07.04 4:58.87. 671
r:+0.75 32.81 1:10.46 (37.65)
1:48.47 (38.01) 2:27.36 (38.89)
3:06.06 (38.70) 3:45.65 (39.59)
4:23.40 (37.75) 4:58.87 (35.47)
7 JONES, JENNA S1 15 SPRW 5:01.89 4:59.41. 667
r:+0.72 34.11 1:11.15 (37.04)
1:49.00 (37.85) 2:27.39 (38.39)
3:05.91 (38.52) 3:44.64 (38.73)
4:23.26 (38.62) 4:59.41 (36.15)
8 ELLIOTT, MADDIS 17 NUSW 5:25.00 5:23.70 650
r:+0.73 33.97 1:12.95 (38.98)
1:53.74 (40.79) 2:35.43 (41.69)
3:17.09 (41.66) 3:59.74 (42.65)
4:42.94 (43.20) 5:23.70 (40.76)
Men’s 400 free multi-class
Liam Schluter won the finale with a time of 4:15.99. Brenden Hall (4:12.60) and Rowan Crothers (4:09.87) took second and third based on FINA points.
=== Finals ===
1 SCHLUTER, LIAM 17 KAWTR 4:15.04 4:15.99 781
r:+0.72 28.87 1:01.01 (32.14)
1:32.78 (31.77) 2:06.00 (33.22)
2:38.78 (32.78) 3:11.94 (33.16)
3:44.33 (32.39) 4:15.99 (31.66)
2 HALL, BRENDEN S 22 LAWNT 4:14.02 4:12.60 969
r:+0.93 28.55 59.94 (31.39)
1:31.66 (31.72) 2:04.21 (32.55)
2:36.17 (31.96) 3:08.61 (32.44)
3:40.76 (32.15) 4:12.60 (31.84)
3 CROTHERS, ROWAN 18 YERPK 4:11.88 4:09.87. 926
r:+0.75 28.16 59.33 (31.17)
1:31.15 (31.82) 2:03.51 (32.36)
2:35.22 (31.71) 3:06.71 (31.49)
3:38.23 (31.52) 4:09.87 (31.64)
4 HARRISON MURRAY 18 SPRTN 4:14.85 4:15.35 868
r:+0.71 28.22 1:00.06 (31.84)
1:31.81 (31.75) 2:04.21 (32.40)
2:36.37 (32.16) 3:09.25 (32.88)
3:43.04 (33.79) 4:15.35 (32.31)
5 COCHRANE, BLAKE 25 SPRTN 4:42.92 4:43.94 807
r:+0.70 31.41 1:06.08 (34.67)
1:41.50 (35.42) 2:17.76 (36.26)
2:53.97 (36.21) 3:30.96 (36.99)
4:07.77 (36.81) 4:43.94 (36.17)
6 HODGE, TIMOTHY 15 THIL 4:32.51 4:29.43 798
r:+0.83 29.45 1:02.39 (32.94)
1:36.67 (34.28) 2:11.00 (34.33)
2:45.69 (34.69) 3:20.48 (34.79)
3:55.41 (34.93) 4:29.43 (34.02)
7 JASON, BRAEDAN 17 SPRTN 4:10.50 4:16.00 779
r:+0.63 28.67 1:00.18 (31.51)
1:31.85 (31.67) 2:04.80 (32.95)
2:37.36 (32.56) 3:10.29 (32.93)
3:43.41 (33.12) 4:16.00 (32.59)
8 AUNGLES, JESSE 20 MARI 4:49.04 4:50.14 756
r:+0.65 32.73 1:07.52 (34.79)
1:43.74 (36.22) 2:20.35 (36.61)
2:58.21 (37.86) 3:35.89 (37.68)
4:14.31 (38.42) 4:50.14 (35.83)
Women’s 100 back
Emily Seebohm cranked out a blistering time of 58.73 in the women’s 100-meter back. That swim cleared her previous top-ranked time of 58.96 set during semis yesterday.
Seebohm just missed her own All Comers record of 58.70 set back in December.
Madison Wilson, meanwhile, finished second in 59.26 to also make the Olympic team. That’s a bit off her fourth-ranked season best of 59.19 from semis, but still good enough to make the team.
Minna Atherton wound up the tough-luck third-place finisher with a 59.59, off her fifth-ranked season best of 59.46 from semis.
=== Finals ===
1 SEEBOHM, EMILY 23 BGRAM 58.96 58.73. 969
r:+0.67 28.82 58.73 (29.91)
2 WILSON, MADISON 21 STPET 59.19 59.26Q 943
r:+0.54 28.69 59.26 (30.57)
3 ATHERTON, MINNA 15 BGRAM 59.46 59.59Q 927
r:+0.61 29.04 59.59 (30.55)
4 HOCKING, BELIND 25 NUN 1:00.19 59.81 917
r:+0.60 29.35 59.81 (30.46)
5 WHITTAKER, SIAN 18 MVC 1:00.69 59.92 912
r:+0.61 29.46 59.92 (30.46)
6 MCKEOWN, KAYLEE 14 PWCAL 1:00.80 1:00.64 880
r:+0.62 29.43 1:00.64 (31.21)
7 BARRATT, HOLLY 28 ROC 1:00.88 1:00.77 874
r:+0.59 29.27 1:00.77 (31.50)
8 FORRESTER, AMY 17 BOND 1:01.34 1:01.75 833
r:+0.70 30.04 1:01.75 (31.71)
Men’s 100 back
Mitch Larkin, who put up a top-ranked time of 52.48 yesterday to break Aaron Peirsol’s All Comers record, won the 100 back tonight in 52.54 to clinch a spot on the Olympic roster in the event.
Joshua Beaver placed second in 53.77, but was off the Australian Olympic selection time of 53.39.
Ashley Delaney hit the wall third overall in 54.29, while Ben Treffers placed fourth in 54.40.
=== Finals ===
1 LARKIN, MITCH 22 STPET 52.48 52.54. 966
r:+0.63 25.42 52.54 (27.12)
2 BEAVER, JOSHUA 23 NUN 53.75 53.77 901
r:+0.55 26.06 53.77 (27.71)
3 DELANEY, ASHLEY 29 NUN 54.21 54.29 875
r:+0.57 25.85 54.29 (28.44)
4 TREFFERS, BENJA 24 BLGR 54.39 54.40 870
r:+0.58 26.39 54.40 (28.01)
5 INCERTI, ZAC 19 UWSC 54.19 54.41 869
r:+0.60 26.31 54.41 (28.10)
6 HURLEY, BOBBY 27 UNAN 54.33 55.16 834
r:+0.58 26.05 55.16 (29.11)
7 GERLACH, ROBERT 21 CHAND 55.40 55.29 829
r:+0.59 26.44 55.29 (28.85)
8 EDMONDS, BEN 24 MARI 55.85 55.43 822
r:+0.59 26.82 55.43 (28.61)
Men’s 200 free
In the one meet where tying for first place isn’t going to bother anyone, Thomas Fraser-Holmes and Cameron McEvoy did just that with matching 1:45.63s.
That puts both men onto the Olympic roster for Australia as both also cleared the Australian Olympic selection time as they moved to second and third in the world behind only Kosuke Hagino’s 1:45.50 from the Japanese Championships.
David McKeon (1:46.61) and Daniel Smith (1:46.87) put themselves in position to compete for the Australian 800 free relay at the Olympics.
=== Finals ===
1 FRASER-HOLMES, 24 MIAMI 1:46.71 1:45.63. 900
r:+0.65 24.37 50.90 (26.53)
1:18.08 (27.18) 1:45.63 (27.55)
1 MCEVOY, CAMERON 21 BOND 1:46.83 1:45.63. 900
r:+0.60 24.33 50.64 (26.31)
1:17.86 (27.22) 1:45.63 (27.77)
3 MCKEON, DAVID 23 CHAND 1:47.49 1:46.61 875
r:+0.71 24.93 51.80 (26.87)
1:19.09 (27.29) 1:46.61 (27.52)
4 SMITH, DANIEL 24 MIAMI 1:47.30 1:46.87 869
r:+0.72 24.68 51.43 (26.75)
1:18.79 (27.36) 1:46.87 (28.08)
5 HANSFORD, JACOB 20 SOSC 1:48.23 1:47.40 856
r:+0.65 25.12 52.33 (27.21)
1:20.09 (27.76) 1:47.40 (27.31)
6 HORTON, MACK 19 MVC 1:47.37 1:47.41 856
r:+0.69 24.91 52.00 (27.09)
1:19.74 (27.74) 1:47.41 (27.67)
7 HERZOG, KURT 24 SOSC 1:47.90 1:47.70 849
r:+0.62 24.98 51.92 (26.94)
1:19.56 (27.64) 1:47.70 (28.14)
8 MERRILEES, JORD 21 MVC 1:47.76 1:48.07 840
r:+0.67 25.15 52.20 (27.05)
1:19.79 (27.59) 1:48.07 (28.28)
Women’s 100 breast
Georgia Bohl clinched a spot on the Olympic roster with a winning time of 1:06.12. That swim pushed her up to third in the world rankings behind only Yuliya Efimova (1:05.70) and Ruta Meilutyte (1:05.82) with Efimova’s time potentially going to be wiped due to her positive doping test.
Taylor McKeown hit the wall second overall in 1:06.68, also under the Australian Olympic qualifying time. That moved her up to 11th in the world rankings.
Jessica Hansen (1:07.29) and Sally Hunter (1:07.36) rounded out the top four finishers in the event.
=== Finals ===
1 BOHL, GEORGIA 18 STPET 1:06.44 1:06.12. 921
r:+0.66 30.77 1:06.12 (35.35)
2 MCKEOWN, TAYLOR 21 SPRTN 1:07.35 1:06.68. 898
r:+0.70 31.69 1:06.68 (34.99)
3 HANSEN, JESSICA 20 NUN 1:06.94 1:07.29 874
r:+0.65 31.53 1:07.29 (35.76)
4 HUNTER, SALLY 30 MARI 1:07.74 1:07.36 871
r:+0.74 31.88 1:07.36 (35.48)
5 PICKETT, LEISTO 24 STHPT 1:07.70 1:07.76 856
r:+0.72 31.47 1:07.76 (36.29)
6 TONKS, LORNA 27 YERPK 1:08.46 1:08.51 828
r:+0.66 32.25 1:08.51 (36.26)
7 STRAUCH, JENNA 19 UNAQ 1:09.32 1:10.14 772
r:+0.73 32.30 1:10.14 (37.84)
8 MILLIKIN, CARLE 21 TRGR 1:10.58 1:11.08 741
r:+0.75 33.37 1:11.08 (37.71)
Women’s 50 breast multi-class
Tiffany Thomas Kane won the sprint breast event in 43.06, while Kendall Williams (38.64) and Kate Wilson (49.66) took second and third based on FINA points.
That’s a world record in the S6 division for Thomas Kane.
=== Finals ===
1 THOMAS KANE, TI 14 RAVN 44.76 43.06. 1104
r:+0.65
2 WILLIAMS, KENDA 16 NUSW 38.76 38.64. 755
r:+0.65
3 WILSON, KATE SB 17 KNGC 49.62 49.66 720
r:+0.65
4 GETSON, JAIME-L 17 MLN 40.09 39.85. 673
r:+0.79
5 BRITTON, HANNAH 22 UNAV 37.63 38.11. 665
r:+1.06
6 STORM, RUBY SB1 12 TRL 41.77 41.08. 614
r:+0.71
7 SCHMIDT, EMILY 23 AUSCR 41.92 41.81. 583
r:+0.75
8 MIRO, NICOLE SB 16 SLCA 42.44 43.09. 544
r:+0.81
Men’s 50 breast multi-class
Blake Cochrane turned in a 35.55 to lead the way. Matthew Levy took second in 36.69 with Richard Eliason earning third in 31.63.
=== Finals ===
1 COCHRANE, BLAKE 25 SPRTN 35.74 35.55. 997
r:+0.69
2 LEVY, MATTHEW S 29 CRAN 37.08 36.69 907
r:+0.81
3 ELIASON, RICHAR 27 GIND 31.80 31.63. 878
r:+0.78
4 KELLY, AHMED SB 24 MVC 50.45 50.67 876
r:+0.80
5 BEKRIC, LIAM SB 15 NWD 31.74 31.69. 840
r:+0.68
6 WARD, MATTHEW S 20 GTA 32.22 32.42. 728
r:+0.69
7 BRIGHT, ROHAN S 18 AQBN 41.14 40.56 672
r:+0.70
8 COLEMAN, SOLOMO 16 SSAQU 34.83 35.64. 614
r:+0.65
SEMIFINALS
Women’s 200 free
Emma McKeon scared her Australian record of 1:55.53 with a 1:55.82 in semis of the 200 free. Her record time puts her third in the world this year behind Katie Ledecky (1:54.43) and Sarah Sjostrom (1:54.87).
Bronte Barratt finished second in 1:56.56, off her eighth-ranked season best of 1:55.95, while Madeline Groves placed third in semis with a 1:57.84.
=== Semi-Finals ===
1 MCKEON, EMMA 21 STPET 1:57.89 1:55.82Q 928
r:+0.75 26.78 56.03 (29.25)
1:25.61 (29.58) 1:55.82 (30.21)
2 BARRATT, BRONTE 27 STPET 1:57.86 1:56.56Q 910
r:+0.63 27.46 56.91 (29.45)
1:26.75 (29.84) 1:56.56 (29.81)
3 GROVES, MADELIN 20 STPET 1:59.26 1:57.84. 881
r:+0.69 27.30 57.48 (30.18)
1:27.78 (30.30) 1:57.84 (30.06)
4 ASHWOOD, JESSIC 22 CHAND 2:00.14 1:58.28. 871
r:+0.77 28.26 58.26 (30.00)
1:28.66 (30.40) 1:58.28 (29.62)
5 NEALE, LEAH 20 SPRTN 1:59.50 1:58.76. 860
r:+0.72 27.62 57.36 (29.74)
1:28.00 (30.64) 1:58.76 (30.76)
6 SHERIDAN, MIKKA 21 SOSC 1:59.44 1:59.24 850
r:+0.72 28.07 58.58 (30.51)
1:29.35 (30.77) 1:59.24 (29.89)
7 BUCHANAN, CARLA 20 ACACI 1:59.53 1:59.31 849
r:+0.68 27.36 57.64 (30.28)
1:28.48 (30.84) 1:59.31 (30.83)
8 COOK, TAMSIN 17 UWSC 2:00.76 1:59.45 846
r:+0.70 28.07 58.49 (30.42)
1:29.19 (30.70) 1:59.45 (30.26)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
9 ELMSLIE, BRITTA 21 BGRAM 1:58.83 1:59.60 842
r:+0.72 27.25 57.58 (30.33)
1:28.45 (30.87) 1:59.60 (31.15)
10 MELVERTON, KIAH 19 TSS 2:01.53 2:00.22 829
r:+0.69 28.28 58.41 (30.13)
1:29.59 (31.18) 2:00.22 (30.63)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
11 GILLETT, CHELSE 19 SPRTN 2:01.87 2:00.42 825
r:+0.65 28.02 58.27 (30.25)
1:29.21 (30.94) 2:00.42 (31.21)
12 GOOD, ALEXANDRA 18 SYP 2:02.42 2:02.34 787
r:+0.77 28.43 59.29 (30.86)
1:30.59 (31.30) 2:02.34 (31.75)
13 MATSUO, AMI 19 RAVN 2:02.99 2:02.79 778
r:+0.74 28.41 59.16 (30.75)
1:30.97 (31.81) 2:02.79 (31.82)
14 ROGERS, DAHLAS 21 GSAQU 2:02.95 2:02.84 778
r:+0.70 28.71 59.66 (30.95)
1:31.33 (31.67) 2:02.84 (31.51)
15 ZHANG, BONNIE 18 CBRA 2:02.52 2:03.73 761
r:+0.77 28.81 59.90 (31.09)
1:31.82 (31.92) 2:03.73 (31.91)
16 SCHLICHT, JEMMA 18 MLC 2:02.03 2:03.85 759
r:+0.79 28.10 59.01 (30.91)
1:31.11 (32.10) 2:03.85 (32.74)
Men’s 200 fly
Keiran Qaium put up the top time of semis with a 1:57.78, while Hugo Morris earned second in 1:58.03. Grant Irvine wound up third in 1:58.27.
All three need to drop some serious time to clear Australia’s Olympic qualifying time of 1:55.75.
=== Semi-Finals ===
1 QAIUM, KEIRAN 23 SYDU 1:59.43 1:57.78 848
r:+0.63 26.25 56.17 (29.92)
1:26.85 (30.68) 1:57.78 (30.93)
2 MORRIS, HUGO 21 CBRA 1:58.97 1:58.03 843
r:+0.65 25.93 56.04 (30.11)
1:26.60 (30.56) 1:58.03 (31.43)
3 IRVINE, GRANT 25 STPET 1:59.14 1:58.27 838
r:+0.69 26.10 56.25 (30.15)
1:27.27 (31.02) 1:58.27 (31.00)
4 WRIGHT, CHRISTO 27 STHPT 1:58.94 1:58.41 835
r:+0.65 25.89 55.97 (30.08)
1:27.28 (31.31) 1:58.41 (31.13)
5 MORGAN, DAVID 22 TSS 1:59.79 1:59.21 818
r:+0.63 25.63 55.59 (29.96)
1:27.00 (31.41) 1:59.21 (32.21)
6 BROWN, NICHOLAS 20 WSS 1:59.19 1:59.86 805
r:+0.71 27.09 57.05 (29.96)
1:28.23 (31.18) 1:59.86 (31.63)
7 JONES, ISAAC 20 WRN 2:00.07 2:00.14 799
r:+0.74 26.76 57.06 (30.30)
1:28.23 (31.17) 2:00.14 (31.91)
8 HARMSEN, WILL 21 BOND 2:01.68 2:00.97 783
r:+0.71 26.65 57.68 (31.03)
1:29.35 (31.67) 2:00.97 (31.62)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
9 WOTTON, THOMAS 18 PAC 2:02.11 2:01.08 781
r:+0.69 26.58 57.60 (31.02)
1:29.21 (31.61) 2:01.08 (31.87)
10 SCHREINER, BEN 21 MVC 2:02.37 2:01.59 771
r:+0.67 26.95 57.88 (30.93)
1:29.68 (31.80) 2:01.59 (31.91)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
11 MCDOUGALL, HAMI 19 SYP 2:02.28 2:01.62 770
r:+0.68 27.10 58.55 (31.45)
1:29.99 (31.44) 2:01.62 (31.63)
12 USHER, CAMERON 17 TSS 2:02.77 2:01.78 767
r:+0.69 27.36 58.43 (31.07)
1:30.14 (31.71) 2:01.78 (31.64)
13 COX, CHARLES 16 STPET 2:02.03 2:02.15 760
r:+0.74 27.33 58.06 (30.73)
1:29.78 (31.72) 2:02.15 (32.37)
14 COOK, BRODIE 20 HELEN 2:02.97 2:02.40 756
r:+0.77 26.53 57.73 (31.20)
1:30.10 (32.37) 2:02.40 (32.30)
15 WHALE, JACOB 16 FLYER 2:02.88 2:03.40 737
r:+0.68 26.66 58.47 (31.81)
1:30.43 (31.96) 2:03.40 (32.97)
16 POON, BRYAN 17 STPET 2:02.97 2:03.70 732
r:+0.61 27.48 58.92 (31.44)
1:31.29 (32.37) 2:03.70 (32.41)
Women’s 200 IM
Blair Evans paced semis with a time of 2:12.45, while Alicia Coutts put up a 2:12.50 for the second seed. Kotuku Ngawati also clock into the 2:12s with a third-place 2:12.78.
All three will need to cut some time to clear the Australian selection time of 2:11.39.
=== Semi-Finals ===
1 EVANS, BLAIR 25 UWSC 2:15.73 2:12.45 863
r:+0.71 28.69 1:02.46 (33.77)
1:41.21 (38.75) 2:12.45 (31.24)
2 COUTTS, ALICIA 28 REDLA 2:13.62 2:12.50 863
r:+0.76 27.52 1:01.20 (33.68)
1:40.26 (39.06) 2:12.50 (32.24)
3 NGAWATI, KOTUKU 21 MVC 2:13.89 2:12.78 857
r:+0.66 28.51 1:02.84 (34.33)
1:41.34 (38.50) 2:12.78 (31.44)
4 MCMASTER, KERYN 22 CHAND 2:14.37 2:13.11 851
r:+0.67 28.59 1:02.31 (33.72)
1:41.25 (38.94) 2:13.11 (31.86)
5 FULLERTON, ELLE 23 CHAND 2:14.04 2:14.27 829
r:+0.71 28.53 1:02.79 (34.26)
1:41.93 (39.14) 2:14.27 (32.34)
6 SCOTT, AISLING 23 BGRAM 2:16.04 2:14.71 821
r:+0.73 29.26 1:03.48 (34.22)
1:41.49 (38.01) 2:14.71 (33.22)
7 SHERIDAN, CALYP 17 BGRAM 2:18.19 2:15.74 802
r:+0.70 29.17 1:03.34 (34.17)
1:42.75 (39.41) 2:15.74 (32.99)
8 BRETTLE, HOLLY 22 TGSH 2:18.98 2:16.41 790
r:+0.74 29.58 1:03.78 (34.20)
1:43.94 (40.16) 2:16.41 (32.47)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
9 HARKIN, ABBEY 17 STPET 2:20.66 2:17.84 766
r:+0.72 29.41 1:05.13 (35.72)
1:44.77 (39.64) 2:17.84 (33.07)
10 GILMOUR, TIANNI 20 PWCAL 2:19.77 2:18.05 763
r:+0.75 29.62 1:04.37 (34.75)
1:44.88 (40.51) 2:18.05 (33.17)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
11 BEALE, SARAH 15 ACACI 2:19.37 2:18.12 761
r:+0.73 29.83 1:05.45 (35.62)
1:45.12 (39.67) 2:18.12 (33.00)
12 CROSS, BEC 16 GIND 2:18.46 2:18.67 752
r:+0.80 29.83 1:05.79 (35.96)
1:46.05 (40.26) 2:18.67 (32.62)
13 FITZHENRY, FRAN 16 TRGR 2:20.12 2:19.00 747
r:+0.72 29.80 1:05.10 (35.30)
1:46.13 (41.03) 2:19.00 (32.87)
14 WILKINS, SAMANT 21 NUN 2:18.20 2:19.24 743
r:+0.68 29.49 1:04.24 (34.75)
1:45.65 (41.41) 2:19.24 (33.59)
15 ABBOTT, SAMANTH 20 RANDW 2:20.99 2:19.85 733
r:+0.70 28.38 1:03.56 (35.18)
1:45.97 (42.41) 2:19.85 (33.88)
16 MITCHELL, CAITL 25 YERPK 2:21.41 2:23.91 673
r:+0.78 29.38 1:05.32 (35.94)
1:49.41 (44.09) 2:23.91 (34.50)
Swimming Australia Press Release:
Fraser-Holmes and McEvoy dead-heat brings the house down
It was billed as Super Saturday and night three of the 2016 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships certainly lived up to all expectations when seven more swimmers booking their seats to Rio in front of a packed house at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Adelaide tonight.
The men’s 200m freestyle headlined the show with Gold Coast London Olympians Tom Fraser-Holmes and Cam McEvoy bringing the house down with a thrilling deadhead in the 200m freestyle.
They were joined on the Rio nomination list by backstroke world champions Emily Seebohm and Mitch Larkin and newcomers Madison Wilson (100m backstroke) and Georgia Bohl and Taylor McKeown in the women’s 100m breaststroke.
Bohl was greeted by her proud coach and father Michael Bohl after clocking a personal best time of 1:06.12 to reach her Olympic dream as did second place-getter McKeown who overcame a groin injury to book her place in 1:06.68, also a personal best.
The St Peters Western Head coach has had a great start to the meet, coaching Emma McKeon, Maddie Groves, Larkin, Wilson and now his own daughter onto the team.
And in a classic 200m showdown it was McEvoy who used all his natural speed to take the race out over the first 100m in 50.64 with Fraser Holmes (50.90), Dan Smith (51.43) and David McKeon (51.80) trying desperately to hold on, knowing there were individual and relay spots up for grabs.
It’s the only way McEvoy knows how to swim and Fraser-Holmes stuck to him like glue and just when it seemed McEvoy might hang on with 25 metres to go the endurance of the seven-time 400m IM champion kicked in and the pair went stroke for stroke to the finish – dead-heating in 1:45.63.
McKeon, who had qualified for Rio in the 400m freestyle on night one, snuck into third in 1:46.61 and the comeback kid Smith realising a childhood dream to grab fourth in 1:46.87.
“I think we’d both agree we spent our pennies in the first three laps and I was hurting really bad that last 25 metres,” said Fraser-Holmes, the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion.
“It was a great race and it was great to be in that environment and that chaos so to speak again. I’m just so happy I re-qualified for the 200 again.
“It’s been a burning desire the last 12 months and almost every day I have been thinking about this race.
“I’ve got a great ability to focus when I don’t want to lose and I think I showed that tonight and although the time wasn’t super-fast tonight was just all about racing and getting a hand on the wall top two and we did that tonight!”
McEvoy was spent after the race but thrilled to share the spoils with a fellow Gold Coaster.
“Firstly, I’m really happy with that time, I haven’t been down to the mid 1:45 range for a while now so that’s really good and to do that with the hype of this competition is also very good as well,” said McEvoy.
“Who would have thought that we would have tied over 200 metres! But both our heats and semi-finals were virtually the same, give or take 0.1 or 0.2, so we’re basically inseparable really and that’s a great thing for our relay team!”
And it would not be a day in the swimming mixed zone, without a gem from the Griffith University Science student.
“It’s the 100th anniversary of Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which is the theory of gravity. And coincidentally physicists at Advanced LIGO discovered gravitational waves, which is the stretching and contraction of space-time itself…
“That pulse on my cap is the actual detection signal that they detected when two super massive black holes collided and made space-time ripple.
“(Even though) I doubt my finish was strong enough to pretty much make ripples in the fabric of space-time.”
Larkin and Seebohm were dominant in the 100m backstroke finals, securing their spots on the team for Rio.
Backstroke girls in thriller
The women’s race was always going to be tough, with nothing separating Seebohm from her training partner Minna Atherton and St Peters Western’s Wilson. All three swam under the qualifying time, but with just two Olympic berths on offer, it was Seebohm and Wilson who prevailed.
“I am happy – I went faster from heats to semis to final – I did a tough job,” said Seebohm, who swam 58.73 to take the win.
“It was never going to be easy to make this team and it definitely wasn’t easy tonight but I guess I can show that my experience helps a lot.
“I was definitely nervous. I feel like it should get easier every time you come here but I swear I get more nervous every year. It was so nerve-wracking going into that. Being my 10th time around it is hard to keep improving at Australian Champs.”
Twenty-one-year-old Wilson will make her Olympic debut after she touched for second in 59.26.
“That was exciting,” Wilson said.
“I still haven’t got my head around the fact that I am going to go to the Olympics.
“That race was always going to be tough. We have such good depth, I think we had five under the minute, which is huge.
“I don’t even think the US can do that. It is really exciting for backstroke in Australia.”
Larkin was swimming on world record pace for much of the two-lap race, and finished first in 52.54, just 0.04 off the time that won him last year’s world title in Kazan.
“My first goal was to come here and qualify for Rio so I’ve done that,” Larkin said.
“Kazan was in August so we’ve got a few months of work in there [until Rio] so I’ll go home and do some work and look forward to swimming faster. When you freshen up and shave down you do want to swim PBs but like I said the main goal was to come here and book my ticket to Rio so we’ll see what can happen from there.”
Larkin will now work with his coach to come up with a plan for the months leading into Rio, to decide whether taking the approach of lots of international racing as he did in 2015 could work for him again.
“If I can race as much as I can, internationally, then I would love to do that for sure. There are two types of fitness – training fitness and racing fitness. I’ll look to try and probably race a few meets between here and Rio and work on that.”
Larkin was the only Aussie to grab an Olympic quota place in the race with second place getter Joshua Beaver just missing the Olympic qualifying time, clocking 53.77. Ashley Delaney (54.29) was third.
Tiffany Thomas Kane smashed her own S6 world record in the Multi-Class 50m breaststroke, taking gold in a time of 43.06. The Ravenswood swimmer is just 14 years of age, showing incredible signs for a strong future ahead of her. Kendall Williams (Nu Swim, NSW) was second in 38.64 (755 points) with Kate Wilson of Kingscliff, NSW third on 49.66 (720 points).
Monique Murphy has shown she will be a Paralympic star of the future, winning the Multi-Class 400m freestyle with 970 points for her 4:35.53 swim. The 21-year-old from Melbourne Vicentre was a competent able-bodied swimmer in her youth. A balcony accident in 2014 saw Murphy suffer major injuries, resulting in the amputation of her leg. She was back into swimming for rehab and made her first Australian team one year later. Lakeisha “Lucky” Patterson was second on 952 points and Jade Lucy was third on 871 points.
“This is my favourite and my main event,” Murphy said of the 400m. “After my accident I never thought I would be able to be here and not so quickly. I just want to keep chipping away at that time. I have a lot more to give and I am still new so I just want to see what I can put out there.”
In the men’s 400m freestyle, 17-year-old Liam Schluter from Kawana Waters in Queensland took the Multi-Class 400m freestyle title with a time of 4:15.99 (974 points). Brendan Hall, who owns the World Record in his S9 class took silver in 4:12.60 (969 points) while Rowan Crothers used his loud crowd support from the Yeronga Park team to swim home to bronze in 4:09.87 (926 points).
Blake Cochrane from USC Spartans on the Sunshine Coast edged close to his own World Record in the Multi-Class 50m breaststroke in the final event of the night. Cochrane, 25, won the Australian title in 35.55 (997 points). Matthew Levy (Cranbrook Eastern Edge, NSW) was second in 36.69 (907 points) whilst Richard Eliason (Ginninderra, NSW) was third in 31.63 (878 points).
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What a legend!