Emma McKeon has had a flying start to the 2021 Australian Olympic Swimming Trials with a sizzling 100m heat swim of 56.82 in the 100m butterfly at the SA Aquatic And Leisure Centre.
McKeon, the 27-year-old Commonwealth and Australian record holder and Commonwealth Games gold medallist from the Gold Coast’s Griffith University (Coach Michael Bohl) set her race up with a solid 27.21 split to let everyone know she was in the zone from then get-go.
It was the first of a potential eight races (heats and finals of the 100m butterfly and the 50, 100 and 200m freestyles) and the iron woman of the Australian Dolphins showed she was ready.
“I’m happy with that swim, that’s the first step. I’m always nervous for my first race, it’s nice to get it done and get ready for finals. That was one of my quickest ones, definitely for trials,” said McKeon.
“I didn’t actually realise until this morning that the fast heat was first. But it’s nice to get it done, now I don’t have to wait for everybody else.”
McKeon’s Rio team mate Brianna Throssell (UWA West Coast, WA Coach Mick Palfrey) swam the second fastest time of the heats, clocking 58.63 with Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD; coach Chris Mooney) 58.83.
Women’s 100m butterfly Top 8 qualifiers
1 Emma McKeon 56.82 OLY Qual
2 Brianna Throssell 58.63
3 Alexandria Perkins 58.83
4 Brittany Castelluzzo 59.28
5 Abbey Webb 59.41
6 Kayla Costa 59.69=
6 Olivia Collins 59.69=
8 Elizabeth Dekkers 59.80
IM NUNA: Nunawading Olympic hope Brendon Smith the fastest qualifier into the 400IM final. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
The men’s 400IM saw Brendon Smith (Nunawading, Vic Coach Wayne Lawes) 4:17.83, improving Kieren Pollard (North Coast WA) clocking a pb of 4:18.23 and Thomas Hauck (All Saints, Qld) 4:22.23 to float through the opening heat – with Smith showing a dominant breaststroke leg.
His club mate Elliot Rogerson took the second heat in 4:22.27 from Se-Bom Lee (Carlile, NSW) 4:22.79.
The 4:15.24 certainly looking achievable with Smith already having swum 4:14.91.
Smith and Nunawading were amongst a group of 20 Melbourne-based swimmers from Nunawading and Melbourne Vicentre who escaped Victoria’s latest lockdown with a late night flight to the Gold Coast two weeks ago.
A move that may well have salvaged their Olympic dreams.
Men’s 400IM Top 8 Qualifiers
1 Brendon Smith 4:17.83
2 Kieren Pollard 4:18.23
3 Thomas Hauck 4:22.23
4 Elliot Rogerson 4:22.27
5 Se-Bom Lee 4:22.79
6 Lachlan Walker 4:27.26
7 Thomas Lightfoot 4:27.35
8 Charlie Hawke 4:28.52
While in the men’s 100m breaststroke heats, it was a fast finishing Zac Stubblety-Cook (Chandler, QLD) the fastest qualifier, winning heat two in 1:00.05 with Rio medley relay bronzed medallist Jake Packard (USC Spartans, QLD) looked the best he’s looked all season, winning the third heat in the second fastest qualifying time of 1:00.10.
GOGGLE BOX: Matthew Wilson eyes off a Tokyo ticket. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
Daniel Cave (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) – second to Stubblety-Cook in heat two in 1:00.33 has also put himself in the game alongside opening heat winner, Matthew Wilson (SOPAC, NSW) the fourth fastest qualifier in 1:00.38 – just 0.33 between the top four.
Men’s 100m breaststroke Top 8 Qualifiers
1 Zac Stubblety-Cook 1:00.05
2 Jake Packard 1:00;10
3 Daniel Cave 1:00.33
4 Matthew Wilson 1:00.38
5 Samuel Williamson 1:00.85
6 Joshua Yong 1:01.15
7 Liam Hunter 1:01.70
8 James McKechnie 1:01.84
IN THE SHADOWS OF GREATNESS: Future champions prepare to race at the 2021 Olympic Trials almost 50 years after Shane Gould won three gold medals at the 1972 Games in Munich. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
