Emerging USC Spartan Benjamin Hance has become the fastest S14 Australian in the Men’s 100m Backstroker after blitzing the field in a time of 58.88, attaining a whopping 1019 points – the highest of any swim over the last two days on night two of the 2021 Australian Multi-Class Swimming Championships.
Hance set the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre alight, to claim his first ever Australian long course title.
“It’s really cool to be the fastest Australian and between now and Trials I want to get even faster in the 100 backstroke,” a delighted Hance said after the win.
Harrison Vigg (S9) from the Brisbane Jets secured the silver medal in 1:05.32 (823 points), while Belgravia’s Brenden Hall (S9) snared bronze with a time of 1:07.69 (740 points).
STAKING HER CLAIM: USC Spartan Katja Dedekind claims another Gold Coast gold. Photo Courtesy:Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
In what proved to be a successful night for the USC Spartans, Katja Dedekind (S13) showed why she’s one to watch, in this Paralympic year, securing her third medal of the meet and her second gold.
Claiming victory in the Women’s Open 100m Backstroke with a time of 1:08.22 (896 points), Dedekind was clearly beaming post-race.
“It’s pretty cool actually, I don’t really look at the medals too much, it’s more about the results, but to be able to touch first and also get a medal is pretty cool,” Dedekind said.
“I’ve just really been working on my swimming technique and keeping fit in all areas not just in the pool and in the gym.”
Knox Pymble Paralympic golden girl Ellie Cole (S9) touched for silver in 1:14.41 (743 points) and St Hilda’s Madeleine McTernan (S14) placed third in 1:11.51 (719 points).
Bay & Basin’s Jasmine Greenwood (SM10) started her night with a bang, bagging her second gold medal of the meet – this time in the Women’s Open 200m Individual Medley Multi-Class.
Greenwood – who was the favourite heading into the race – hit the wall in 2:33.26 (845 points) ahead of Rio breaststroke gold medallist Tiffany Thomas Kane (SM7, Warringah Aquatic) and Kiera Stephens (SM10, USC Spartans.)
Thomas Kane recorded a time of 3:04.19 and 765 points for the silver, while Stephens clocked 2:39.10 and 755 points for bronze.
IM GOLD: Kawana Waters Liam Schluter shows his breaststroke prowess on his way to victory in the 200IM. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
Liam Schluter (SM14) showed his class in the Men’s Open 200m Individual Medley to claim his first Australian title of the meet.
The Kawana Waters’ product had hot competition in North Sydney’s Matt Levy (SM7) who pushed him all the way to the wall. Only five points separated the pair when they touched – 863 to 857. Jesse Aungles (SM8) from Marion posted 2:30.07 and 812 points.
Backing up after her 400m Freestyle win on night one, Belgravia’s Lakeisha Patterson (S9) couldn’t be stopped in the Women’s Open 100m Freestyle.
Posting a time of 1:04.07 to record 812 points, the 22-year-old narrowly took the spoils ahead of defending champ, Cole (S9) (1:04.15, 809 points), and Melbourne Vicentre’s Ashleigh McConnell (S9) (1:04.98, 779).
Making it a double delight on night two, Yeronga Park’s Rowan Crothers won his second freestyle gold medal at the championships in the Men’s Open 100m Freestyle in a time of 51.91 (941 points).
Somerset GC’s new boy, former WA and Gold Coast surf lifesaving champion Tom Gallagher (S9) finished second in a time of 54.46 and 840 points, while Jack Ireland (S14) from Uni of Queensland rounded out the podium in 53.32 (773 points).
Gallagher said he was happy with his third medal against tough competition at his first Australian Multi-Class Championships.
“My times have been a little bit off what I wanted but at the end of the day I gave it my all so I’m pretty happy with that. To go sub 55 after a kilometre of racing over the last two days is pretty good,” said Gallagher.
“The weather hasn’t been great, but you can’t help that, the rest of competition has been great, everyone has been super friendly, and it’s been a good competition and it’s just good to get some racing under my belt with a big year ahead.”
The action continues today at 9am (local time) with the opening sessions of the Australian Age Championships. You can catch every race live from the Gold Coast Swimming & Aquatic Centre on Amazon Prime Video or SwimTV.
FLYING START: Yeronga Park’s Rowan Crothers winds up on the Gold Coast. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
More results from night two:
Women Open 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Keira Stephens (SB9) USC Spartans, 36.60 (649 points)
Silver – Ashley Van Rijswick (SB14) Wagga Wagga, 36.75 (624 points)
Bronze – Natalie Shaw (SB9) St Hilda’s Aquatics, Qld, 37.77 (591 points)
Men Open 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Jake Michel (SB14) Carina Leagues CJ’s, 30.38 (850 points)
Silver – Ahmed Kelly (SB3) Melbourne Vicentre, 56.43 (596 points)
Bronze – Oscar Stubbs (SB13) SOPAC, 34.60 (541 points)
Women Open 50m Butterfly Multi-Class
Gold – Taylor Corry (S14) Nelson Bay, 30.45 (855 points)
Silver – Tahlia Blanshard (S7) Woy Woy, 37.13 (755 points)
Bronze – Victoria Jessamine (S14) Revesby Workers 34.16 (606 points)
Men Open 50m Butterfly Multi-Class
Gold – Jarred Dyer (S14) Wollongong, 28.43 (668 points)
Silver – Dylan Logan (S15) Geelong, 27.30 (639 points)
Bronze – William Martin (S10) Nudgee College, 27.97 (629 points)
Women Open 200m Freestyle Multi-Class
Gold – Madeleine McTernan (S14) St Hilda’s QLD, 2:15.99 (724 points)
Silver – Ruby Storm (S14) USC Spartans, 2:17.73 (697 points)
Bronze – Jade Lucy (S14) SLC Aquadot, 2:19.40 (672 points)
Men Open 200m Freestyle Multi-Class
Gold – Liam Schluter (S14) Kawana Waters, 1:57.22 (895 points)
Silver – Tom Gallagher (S9) Somerset GC, 1:58.38 (871 points)
Bronze – Jack Ireland (S14) Uni of Queensland, 1:59.89 (836 points)
Mixed Open 150m Individual Medley Multi-Class
Gold – Ahmed Kelly (SM3) Melbourne Vicentre, 3:06.36 (635 points)
Silver – N/A
Bronze – N/A
Girls 17-18yrs 100m Backstroke Multi-Class
Gold – Hannah Price (S9) Campbelltown, 1:13.09 (785 points)
Silver – Natalie Shaw (S10) St Hilda’s Aquatics, QLD, 1:15.71 (658 points)
Bronze – N/A
Boys 17-18yrs 100m Backstroke Multi-Class
Gold – Dylan Logan (S15) Geelong, 1:07.16 (499 points)
Silver – Alexander Killender (S10) Kilmore, 1:12.30 (496 points)
Bronze – Joshua Smith (S14) Woy Woy, 1:16.93 (457 points)
Girls 11-14yrs 50m Backstroke Multi-Class
Gold – Kael Thompson (S14) Beerwah & District, 36.37 (495 points)
Silver – Holly Warn (S7) St Hilda’s Aquatics, QLD, 45.78 (490 points)
Bronze – Krystal Jessen (S14) Aquablitz Toongabbie, 37.15 (465 points)
Boys 11-14yrs 50m Backstroke Multi-Class
Gold – Declan Budd (S14) Knox Pymble, 36.48 (410 points)
Silver – Samuel Morley (S10) Onkaparinga, 35.97 (399 points)
Bronze – Jack Gibson (S9) Dapto, 39.59 (362 points)
Girls 15-16yrs 100m Freestyle Multi-Class
Gold – Isabella Vincent (S7) Norwood, 1:18.74 (645 points)
Silver – Angela Bubb (S10) Logan Vikings, 1:09.63 (614 points)
Silver – Jasmin Fullgrabe (S9) Clovercrest, 1:10.35 (614 points)
Bronze – McKinley Arnison (S9), Lismore Workers, 1:10.63 (606 points)
Boys 15-16yrs 100m Freestyle Multi-Class
Gold – Alexander Tuckfield (S9) SLC Aquadot, 58.05 (694 points)
Silver – Lewis Bishop (S10) Rackley, 1:01.82 (557 points)
Bronze – Samuel Gould (S14) Twin Towns, 1:01.09 (514 points)
Girls 17-18yrs 100m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Natalie Shaw (SB9) St Hilda’s, QLD, 1:23.94 (642 points)
Silver – Hannah Price (SB9) Campbelltown, 1:28.92 (540 points)
Bronze – Ava Sayyadi (SB9) Loreto Normanhurst, 1:35.43 (437 points)
Boys 17-18yrs 100m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Col Pearse (SB9) Kew, 1:17.51 (563 points)
Silver – Jack Howell (SB9) Haileybury, 1:20.91 (495 points)
Bronze – Kaden Smith (SB14) SLC Aquadot, 1:27.70 (406 points)
Girls 15-16yrs 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Isabella Vincent (SB6) Norwood, 50.51 (531 points)
Silver – Ainsley Dullaway (SB14) Uni of Queensland, 40.35 (471 points)
Bronze – Maddison Hinds (SB14) Hornsby, 41.78 (425 points)
Boys 15-16yrs 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Lachlan Hanratty (SB14) Revesby Workers, 34.86 (563 points)
Silver – Nicholas Toia (SB16) PLC Sydney, 40.08 (421 points)
Bronze – Sebastine Du Preez (SB9) Somerset GC, 37.70 (397 points)
Girls 11-14yrs 100m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Stephanie Bruzzese (SB14) Trinity Grammar, NSW, 1:27.28 (576 points)
Silver – Imogen Nolan (SB15) Northcote, 1:21.99 (569 points)
Bronze – Nicole Taylor (SB15) Griffith, 1:29.59 (436 points)
Boys 11-14yrs 100m Breaststroke Multi-Class
Gold – Darren Sisman (SB14) Cronulla, 1:28.60 (394 points)
Silver – Samuel Morley (SB9) Onkaparinga, 1:30.25 (357 points)
Bronze – Matty Price (SB14) Parkes, 1:36.32 (307 points)
Girls 16-18yrs 200m Individual Medley Multi-Class
Gold – Natalie Shaw (SM10) St Hilda’s, QLD, 2:46.51 (659 points)
Silver – Ava Sayyadi (SM10) Loreto Normanhurst, 3:06.47 (469 points)
Bronze – Ainsley Dullaway (SM14) Uni of Queensland, 3:14.50 (360 points)
Boys 16-18yrs 200m Individual Medley Multi-Class
Gold – Hugh Gillham (SM10) Kinross Wolaroi, 2:28.07 (611 points)
Silver – Joel Mundie (SM7) Central Cairns, 2:59.93 (588 points)
Bronze – Lachlan Hanratty (SM14) Revesby Workers 2:39:31 (521 points)
Click here to follow all the race results.
Click here for all results from night two on the Gold Coast.