Australia’s Commonwealth Games 1500m freestyle gold medallist Sam Short has started 2023 with a bang, wrapping up an impressive freestyle treble at the South Australian State Championships in Adelaide tonight.
The Rackley Swim Team 19-year-old added the 200m freestyle to last night’s 400m win – later adding the 800m in a solid weekend’s work as he sets his sights on the 1500m at this year’s World Championship Trials and Australian Championships – en-route to the World’s in Fukuoka and ultimately the Paris Olympics next year.
Nineteen-year-old Short was untroubled to take the win in 8:00.93, from WA’s Johann Szymanski (8:12.66) and Ike Martinez (Rackley Swim Team) 8:19.47 with Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games freestyle sprint king Kyle Chalmers (Marion, SA) wrapping up his non-stop State titles campaign with the fourth fastest time of 8:22.93 – as he combines his love of racing while continuing his solid training base.
SITTING PRETTY:Sam Short starts 2023 with a bang in Adelaide. Photo Courtesy: Wade Brennan Photography.
In the 200m it was Short’s Rackley team mate, Olympic bronze medal winning 4x200m freestyle anchor Tommy Neill who took a narrow lead at the half-way mark in a hotly contested four-lap final after fellow Olympian Matt Temple (Marion, SA) led through the first 50m in 25.43.
Nothing separated Neil (53.07), Short (53.11), Temple (53.19) and 19-year-old Miami Swim Club’s 100m winner Maximillian Giuliani (53.21), who is further relishing his foray into open competition.
But it was distance specialist Short, who edged in front as the field turned for home at the 150m mark, going on to take the win in 1:48.38 from Giuliani, who clocked a personal best of 1:48.44, followed by Temple (1:48..92) and Neill (1:48.97).
The race to fill the three visitors spots allowed for the A final was on in earnest in the morning heats session from visiting Queensland foursome Short, Giuliani, Neill and the odd man out, Olympic bronze medallist from Tokyo Alex Graham (Miami Swim Club).
Relegated to the B final, Graham produced the third fastest time of the night with his encouraging 1:48.51 – after his slick 52.78 split at the 100m mark, the fastest of the day.
Meanwhile Marion Olympic stars Meg Harris and Chalmers opened their continuous racing program at the start of night three, joining Isabel Mclachlan and Harrison Biddell to spearhead Marion to another relay title, this time in the Mixed 4×50 medley.
Mclachlan leading off with the backstroke in 30.91, followed by Biddell’s 29.66 breaststroke leg and a 27.32 butterfly lap from Harris before her fellow relay specialist Chalmers unleashed his 22.72 freestyle anchor.
Harris, the Olympic, World Long and Short Course and Commonwealth Games relay gold medallist, then also completed the State 50, 100 and 200m freestyle treble – claiming the 100m in 54.91 to wind up her successful home meet.
MADE-IN-MARION: Meg Harris from Marion SA, wrapped up the women’s sprint freestyle treble. Photo Courtesy: Wade Brennan Photography.
While Chalmers also proved a touch too quick for Marion team mate and fellow Tokyo Olympic medallist Matt Temple in 50m butterfy final – winning in a time of 24.11 to Temple’s 24.24 with Nunawading VIC’s Will Petric third in 24.78.
Nunawading’s Isabella Boyd continued her impressive meet, winning the 100m butterfly in 1:0134 from Brittany Castelluzzo (Tea Tree Gully, SA) 1:01.56 and Abigail Schoorl (Rackley Swim Team(1:02.70).
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist from 2018 and 2022, Bradley Woodward (Mingara, NSW) completed an impressive treble, adding the 100m backstroke to his 50 and 200m wins, clocking 55.20.
While Miami’s World Championship and Commonwealth Games silver medallist over 200m, Jenna Strauch, did likewise in the women’s breaststroke, adding the 50m in 31.52 to her previous wins over 100 and 200m.