After announcing herself as a real threat on the world backstroking stage, Australia’s Tokyo Olympic hope, Kaylee McKeown, has now thrown down the gauntlet as a real 2021 contender in individual medley.
In another busy night at the Queensland State Championships, the unstoppable 19-year-old Sunshine Coaster swam her way into the World All-time top 10, breaking the Australian All-Comers record in the 200m IM, with a time of 2:08.23.
A time that would have seen her finish second to Hungary’s “Iron Lady” Katinka Hosszu at last year’s Gwangju World Championships and third to Hosszu at the Rio Olympics.
REAPING THE AWARDS: Kaylee McKeown, leaving her mark on 2020. Photo Courtesy: Medal Shots (Swimming Queensland).
The plucky USC Spartan led from the opening butterfly leg, extending her lead over her specialist backstroke lap and showing just how good she will be with impressive breaststroke and freestyle legs – stringing together the four strokes with consummate ease.
London Olympic breaststroker Tessa Wallace (Pelican Waters) was second in 2:13.57 and Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre) 2:14.48.
McKeown swam away from the field, touching in another impressive time and adding to an equally impressive week that had seen her swim the second fastest time ever in the 100m backstroke and an all-the-way win in the 400IM.
She was also fourth in the 100m freestyle and then tonight, after her 200IM swim she had to prepare to race fellow World Championship silver medallist Minna Atherton in the 200m backstroke final.
And in true McKeown fashion she didn’t disappoint, ripping out another world class time of 2:05.16 – bettered only by her own recent Commonwealth record time of 2:04.49, set exactly a month ago in beating Atherton (Moreton Bay) 2:07.86 and Jessica Unicomb (Griffith University) 2:13.69.
Queensland’s old hands locked horns with the next generation for a host of records and personal best times and a couple of upset wins, ensuring that reputations will mean nothing as we approach an Olympic year like no other.
“Mr Backstroke” Mitch Larkin opted out of his specialist 200m backstroke becoming “Mr Medley” and had another big crack at his 200IM.
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist produced one of his fastest swims ever, clocking 1:56.32 to swim away from St Peters Western team mate Clyde Lewis (1:59.09) and Chandler’s breaststroke specialist Zac Stubblety-Cook (2:03.62.
ACE IN THE DEKK: Newmarket Racer, Elizabeth Dekkers, flying to gold at the Queensland Championships. Photo Courtesy:Medal Shots (Swimming Queensland).
There was an upset in the women’s 200m butterfly, with emerging star Elizabeth Dekkers (Newmarket Racers) improving every time she swims and taking the prized scalp of Emma McKeon as well.
Dekkers lowered her own Australian and Queensland records in the 16 years 200m butterfly, clocking an impressive 2:07.82 – taking a whopping 0.64sec off her own previous mark set on Sunday night.
McKeon used her early speed to lead through the first 100m until Dekkers, a specialist 200m swimmer, swam away with the race down the third lap and swimming away with an eye-catching victory.
For McKeon, the 200m butterfly came after she added the 50m freestyle to previous wins in the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle, winning the 50 free in 24.55 from Carla Buchanan (Rackley Swim Team) 25.72 and Jessica Unicomb (Griffith University) in 25.80.
Dekkers is following a host of Queensland Butterfliers – led by “Madam Butterfly” herself Suzie O’Neill, then Jess Schipper and Maddie Groves as well as Sam Hamill, Stephanie Rice, and Laura Taylor and McKeon herself.
MOLLY O: Mollie O’Callaghan making her mark at the Queensland Championships. Photo Courtesy: Medal Shots (Swimming Queensland).
Another teenage powerhouse Mollie O’Callaghan, just 16, had another big night, adding the 16 years 1`00m backstroke in 59.59 – not far off Emily Seebohm and Minna Atherton’s record list of 59.33 and 59.34 respectively at the same age.
And in the 16 years boys it was Isaac Cooper (Toowoomba Grammar) who set a new Queensland record of 55.07 – just .06 outside WA’s Joshua Edwards-Smith’s 2019 mark of 55.01.
And if Flynn Southam (Bond) didn’t stand out with his sub 50second 100m freestyle of 49.65 last night he tore up the pool again tonight, winning the 50m Age group title in 22.91 – for a new Queensland and Australian record times that had stood for 10 years.
While old hands Cam McEvoy (TSS Aquatic) and Jack McLoughlin (Chandler) struck pay dirt in the 50m and 1500m respectively.
McEvoy, 26, had been quiet throughout most of 2020 but has come back with a vengeance finishing second to Jack Cartwright (St Peters Western) over 100m (before tipping the scales against Cartwright and Louis Townsend (Rackley Swim Team) over the 50m.
McEvoy looked as sharp as he’s looked for a while, clocking 22.23 ahead of Cartwright (22.39) and Townsend (22.53)
While in the 1500m it was Rio OIympian and Commonwealth Games champion Jack McLoughlin who looked to swim away with the win and that’s just what he did, after going head to head with marathon specialist Nick Sloman (Noosa) before clearing out over the final 500m.
McLoughlin clocked 15:016 (8:00.55) to Sloman’s 15:10.93 (8:00.65) with Rackley Swim Team youngster Sam Short hanging on through the first half before finishing third in 15:21.05 (8:04.77).
Short, who looked impressed and even impressed himself in winning the 17 years 400m last night – slapping the water after his pb of 3:47.69 – following it up with his 1:48 59 after a real duel in the pool with Thomas Hauck (All Saints Gold Coast) who opened up a slight edge early before Short’s dogged finish got him to the wall first – just ahead of Hauck (1:49.80) and Kai Taylor (St Peters Western) third in 1:50.19.
STAND AND DELIVER: Lani Pallister has stood tall in Brisbane this week, so far winning the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle treble.Photo Courtesy: Medal Shots.
There was also no stopping Lani Pallister (Cotton Tree) who again led from start to finish before winning the 800m in a time of 8:24.71 – not far off her winning time from the Junior Worlds last year and adding the win to her earlier victory in the 400m – relishing the race practice with a view to her big move to Michael Bohl at Griffith University with coach Janelle Pallister in a New Year which is sure to continue to deliver a host of new faces like Charles Cox (SPW) 1.57.83 who stormed home to beat Nunawading pair Matthew Temple (1:58.19) and Bowen Gough (1:58.50) in the 200m butterfly and amongst more surprises afterwhat has been the most challenging year on record.
Anyone know why Emily seebohm decided not to swim?
And an impressive 2:05.16 in the 200 back
UNSTOPPABLE!!!
Elizabeth Taylor