Aussie Day 4: Campbell Sets Pool Aflame, Larkin 400m IM Strong

2018 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING TRIALS

• Wednesday, February 28th – Saturday, March 3rd
• Optus Aquatic Centre, Marine Parade, Southport, Queensland
• Prelims at 11:00am local (8pm EST previous night)/Finals at 7:15pm local (4:15am EST)
• LCM
• Meet Central
• Selection Criteria (including QTs)
• Start Lists
• SwimSwam Meet Preview
• Live Stream (prelims only)
• Live Results

Day 1 Prelims Recap/Day 1 Finals Recap

Day 2 Prelims Recap/Day 2 Finals Recap

Day 3 Prelims Recap/Day 3 Finals Recap

Day 4 Prelims Recap

WOMEN’S 50 BACK (FINAL)

• Australian National Record – 27.37, Emily Seebohm, 2017
• ‘A’ Cut – 27.60
• ‘B’ Cut – 28.52
• GOLD – SEEBOHM, 27.76
• SILVER – BARRATT , 28.10
• BRONZE – ATHERTON 28.12

Australian backstroking queen Emily Seebohm was able to go 2 for 3 in her signature events over the course of the meet, adding this splash n’ dash gold to her 100m victory from earlier in the competition. Although she fell just .01 shy of silver to young Kaylee McKeown in the 200m back, Seebohm was on top tonight, clocking the only sub-28 second outing of the field.

27.76 is what the Brisbane Grammar star produced, while Rockingham’s veteran Holly Barratt scored silver in 28.10, followed by Seebohmm’s teen teammate, 17-year-old Minna Atherton. For the world junior record holder in this event, this represents her first time Atherton managed to land on the podium at these championships, as the teen wound up 4th in the 100m back and 7th out of prelims in the 200m back, although she wound up dropping the race.

MEN’S 400 IM (FINAL)

• Australian National Record – 4:10.14, Thomas Fraser-Holmes, 2014
• ‘A’ Cut – 4:15.69
• ‘B’ Cut- 4:17.90
• GOLD – LARKIN, 4:15.68
• SILVER – GILLILAND, 4:19.19
• BRONZE – MAHONEY, 4:19.79

24-year-old Mitch Larkin proved once again that he is much more than just a backstroker, adding the 400m IM national title to his impressive win streak here in Southport. Larkin was the 100m/200m backstroke champion and also notched silver in the 200m IM, but he threw down a massive 4:15.68 swim to take the 400m IM title tonight ahead of Olympian Travis Mahoney.

Entering this meet, Larkin’s personal best in this event was the 4:16.07 he clocked way back in 2010, but the 2015 double world champion took things to a new level to get into the 4:15 zone for the first time in his career, ultimately touching in 4:15.68. That was .01 ahead of the Australian Swimming-mandated A cut of 4:15.69, a big outing and confidence booster for Larkin, who has only just recently come back to this event.

The silver and bronze medalists tonight were represented by Brisbane Grammar’s Jared Gilliland and Marion’s Travis Mahoney, who both were sub-4:20 in respective times of 4:19.19 and 4:19.79. The fact Mahoney didn’t at least match the B cut was slightly discouraging, given the fact he was a finalist in this event at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Also, as noted in the prelims recap, top seeded Clyde Lewis had opted out of competing in this event.

MEN’S 50 BACK (FINAL)

• Australian National Record – 24.54, Ben Treffers, 2014
• ‘A’ Cut – 24.84
• ‘B’ Cut – 25.29
• GOLD – INCERTI, 24.97
• SILVER – TREFFERS, 25.06
• BRONZE – LARKIN, 25.22

Larkin was back in the water almost immediately to contest the men’s 50m backstroke final, his weakest of the 3 back distances. Stepping up big time after a personal best in the 400m IM, Larkin threw down a solid 25.22 to collect bronze and end his impressive Trials campaign.

Topping the field tonight in this race, was 24-year-old Zac Incerti, registering the only sub-25 second time of the field. He touched in 24.97, followed by Ben Treffers‘ time of 25.06.

WOMEN’S 400M IM (FINAL)

• Australian National Record – 4:29.45, Stephanie Rice, 2008
• ‘A’ Cut – 4:37.14
• ‘B’ Cut – 4:43.06
• GOLD – EVANS, 4:38.97
• SILVER – MCKEOWN, 4:39.14
• BRONZE – BAILEY, 4:41.78

Just 2 swimmers were able to delve into sub-4:40 territory tonight, with Western Australia’s Blair Evans sweeping the IM events. After her 200m IM victory earlier in the meet, the 26-year-old veteran was able to snare a time of 4:38.97 to take the 400m IM title in the 4th fastest time of her career.

16-year-old Kaylee McKeown got on the board with a big 4:39.14 for silver tonight. Before tonight’s race, McKeown currently held the 8th fastest time in the world with the 4:40.29 en route to taking the Queensland title. Her time tonight checks-in as a new personal best and bumps her up to 6th in the world behind Evans.

MEN’S 50 FREE (FINAL)

• Australian National Record – 21.19, Ashley Callus, 2009
• ‘A’ Cut – 21.77
• ‘B’ Cut – 22.47
• GOLD – ROBERTS, 21.97
• SILVER – MCEVOY, 22.02
• BRONZE – MAGNUSSEN, 22.17

The big boy race came down to 3 veterans, with 26-year-old James Roberts coming out on top in a big 21.97. Roberts now joins the rest of the sub-22 club of this season, ranking 5th overall on the worldwide list.

Already on the list was tonight’s silver medalist, Cameron McEvoy, who threw down a monster 21.87 in the morning, only to fall just slightly back tonight to grasp silver in 22.02. Two-time 100m freestyle world champion James Magnussen finished off the podium in his signature 100m free event, but was able to claw his way onto the bronze step with a solid 22.17. That ranks him 13th in the world this season.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE (FINAL)

• Australian National Record – 23.84, Cate Campbell, 2016
• ‘A’ Cut – 24.59
• ‘B’ Cut – 25.18
• GOLD – CAMPBELL, CATE, 23.79
• SILVER – CAMPBELL, BRONTE, 24.22
• BRONZE – JACK, 24.62

Just as in the 100m freestyle event, the Campbell sisters finished 1-2, with elder Cate Campbell taking the win in a scorching 23.79. After producing a very quick 24.19 this morning, Campbell fired off the fastest time of her career for tonight’s win in 23.79. That overtook her previous lifetime best and Australian National Record of 23.84 she clocked back in 2016.

Bronte Campbell dropped .64 from her 24.86 morning swim to claim silver in 24.22, also well under the 24.59 A cut. 19-year-old Chandler teammate and World Championships stand-out Shayna Jack was also quick, finishing just .03 over the A standard in a mark of 24.62 for bronze.

MEN’S 1500 FREE (SLOWEST HEATS)

• Australian National Record – 14:34.56, Grant Hackett, 2001
• ‘A’ Cut – 14:59.32
• ‘B’ Cut – 15:12.79
• GOLD – MCLOUGHLIN, 14:56.99
• SILVER – HORTON, 15:14.67
• BRONZE – PARRISH, 15:15.70

Mack Horton has been on the sluggish side this championships, which is an indication of what his training partner, Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri confirmed, that the Melbourne Vicentre Olympian is still under heavy training. Clocking 15:14.67, Horton was unable to slide under the B standard, but still earned the silver medal behind Jack McLoughlin, who finished in 14:56.99, the 3rd fastest time of his career.

20-year-old TSS Aquatics’ Josh Parrish finished on the podium as well, stopping the clock at 15:15.70 for bronze.