By Stephen J. Thomas
SYDNEY, Australia, March 31. QUEENSLANDER Libby Lenton joined swimming legends Dawn Fraser and Shane Gould when she became only the third Aussie to hold the world record for the women’s 100 freestyle.
The world record swim took place in the first of two semifinal heats at the Australian Olympic Trials, being held at the Sydney Aquatic Centre.
Last July, the 19-year-old Lenton joked with Alice Mills at the World Championships in Barcelona about wanting to ask Inky de Bruijn for her autograph when they finished on the dais in the 50 free behind the great Dutch sprinter.
How times have changed. Tonight Lenton proved more than the Dutchwoman's measure, powering to the 50-mark in 25.81 – the same time as de Bruijn’s world record split. She didn't falter on the home journey, touching in 53.66 – faster than any women before her — taking 0.11 of a second off the previous standard and almost one-second off her previous best set in the semi-finals in Barcelona.
An emotional Lenton (see right) said after her race, “I looked at the scoreboard in disbelief, I felt good in the water but I didn’t think I felt that good. I don’t want to get carried away with the excitement as I have a job to do tomorrow night in the final and I don’t want to repeat what happened in the 100 fly,” she said.
Earlier in the meet Lenton clocked 58.60 (2nd fastest Aussie all-time) in a semifinal of the 100 fly only to finish third in the final. Unbelievably, Lenton is yet to qualify for the team.
In a brief press conference held after the session Lenton was surprised by guests Dawn Fraser and Shane Gould (right), who came to congratulate the new record-holder.
It wasn’t over yet. In the second semifinal heat, a deermined Jodie Henry, the former Aussie record-holder, took the blocks once the excitement had died down. Henry was not deterred from her job. A noted back-half swimmer, she turned second in 26.20 right behind training partner Alice Mills (26.15). But Henry came home stronger to equal the former world mark of 53.77 – taking 0.78 off her previous best.
Not far behind Henry, 17-year-old Alice Mills touched in 54.26 – 0.89 of a second under her previous best – placing her sixth on the all-time global performers' list.
Until tonight Australia did not have one swimmer in the top 15 all-time performers for 100 free, now they have three in the top six!
The final tomorrow night will probably be less about times and more about getting an individual swim in Athens, but then again …
