2022 Australian Trials: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2022 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, May 18 – Sunday, May 22, 2022
• SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre, Oaklands Park, South Australia
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Entry List
• Live Results
• Live Stream (Amazon Prime)
• World Championships Qualifying Criteria

The 2nd finals session of the 2022 Australian Championships is here, and with it comes finals of the women’s 100 fly, 50 breast, 400 IM, 50 back, and 4×100 free relay, as well as the men’s 50 fly, 200 free, 200 breast, and 4×100 free relay.

Perhaps the best swim of the morning came in the women’s 50 breast, where Chelsea Hodges nearly took down the Australian Record. Hodges swam a 30.22 this morning, nearly hitting the 13-year-old record of 30.16.

Superstar Kyle Chalmers also made news after revealing he may now be attending the World Championships this summer after previously deciding to sit the meet out. Chalmers is potentially reversing course after the somewhat surprise 51.67 100 fly he posted in finals of day 1. He led prelims of the men’s 50 fly this morning clocking a 23.42.

Mollie O’Callaghan, the 18-year-old rising star, continues to turn heads. After winning the women’s 100 free in a blistering 52.49, she turned around and flexed her backstroke muscles this morning, leading prelims of the women’s 50 back with a 27.80. She’ll have a fight on her hands with 19-year-old Bronte Job, who swam a 27.86 this morning.

WOMEN 100 FLY FINALS

• World Record: 55.48 – Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• World Junior Record: 56.46 – Penny Oleksiak (2016)
• Australian Record: 55.72 – Emma McKeon (2021)
• Commonwealth Record: 55.59 – Maggie MacNeil (2021)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 58.33

Podium:

1. Brianna Throssell (USCS) – 57.31
2. Alexandria Perkins (USCS) – 58.39
3. Gemma Cooney (BGRAM) – 58.93

26-year-old Brianna Throssell got the job done in this final, breaking out ahead of the field, and growing her lead through the end of the race. Throssell had excellent front end speed, staying even with the World Record pace through approximately the first 40 meters of the swim. She kept her 50 splits within 4 seconds of each other, going out in 26.79, then coming home in 30.52.

In her interview after the race, Throssell spoke a bit on how she’s transitioned her training from focusing on the 200 to a more sprint, 100-focused training model.

Alexandria Perkins came in just shy of the FINA ‘A’ cut of 58.33, taking 2nd in 58.39. Australia will have some decisions to make in terms of their World Championships roster, as they’ll likely want a 2nd 100 butterflier on the team to handle prelims of the 4×100 medley relay.

MEN 50 FLY FINALS

• World Record: 22.27 – Andriy Govorov (2018)
• World Junior Record: 23.05 – Andrei Minakov (2020)
• Australian Record: 22.73 – Matt Targett (2009)
• Commonwealth Record: 22.73 – Matt Targett (2009)

Podium:

1. Kyle Chalmers (MARI) – 23.21
2. William Yang (LNSC) – 23.50
3. Isaac Cooper (RACKL) – 23.53

Kyle Chalmers continues to show his progress in the butterfly events, taking the national title in the 50 fly tonight after finishing 2nd in the 100 fly last night. He broke out ahead of the field tonight, waiting about 30 meters before taking his first breath. William Yang and Isaac Cooper closed on him a bit in the final 15 meters of the race, but King Kyle would get his hands on the wall first, as he’s done so many times before in his career. The swim tonight stands as a personal best for Chalmers.

William Yang had a phenomenal swim as well, coming in under the FINA ‘A’ cut with a 23.50 for 2nd. While that doesn’t guarantee Yang a spot on the World Championships roster, it was a great swim nonetheless. 18-year-old Isaac Cooper was right behind, getting his hands on the wall in 23.53.

Cody Simpson continues to have a fantastic meet, swimming a 23.68 for 4th.

WOMEN 50 BREAST FINALS

• World Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• World Junior Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• Australian Record: 30.16 – Sarah Katsoulis (2009)
• Commonwealth Record: 29.72 – Lara van Niekerk (2022)

Podium:

1. Chelsea Hodges (STHPT) – 30.15 (AUS Record)
2. Jenna Strauch (MIAMI) – 30.82
3. Mia O’Leary (BOND) – 31.31

Chelsea Hodges finally got it done, breaking the Australian Record after scaring it multiple times this year, including this morning. After swimming a 30.17 in March, 0.01 seconds off the 13-year-old Australian Record, Hodges got to the wall in 30.15 tonight, 0.01 seconds under the record.

We can’t over look 25-year-old Jenna Strauch‘s swim tonight, as she sped to a 30.82 for 2nd. Strauch was the only other swimmer in the field to dip under 30 seconds, also dipping under the FINA ‘A’ cut. Although, we need to give another reminder that the 50s of fly, back, and breast are not serving as qualifying events at this meet. However, given Strauch won the 100 breast last night, it seems likely she’ll end up swimming the 50 breast in Budapest as well.

MEN 200 FREE FINALS

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:44.62 – Hwang Sun-woo (2021)
• Australian Record: 1:44.06 – Ian Thorpe (2001)
• Commonwealth Record: 1:44.06 – Ian Thorpe (2001)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 1:47.06

Podium:

1. Zac Incerti (MARI) – 1:45.80
2. Elijah Winnington (STPET) – 1:46.01
3. Mack Horton (GUSC) – 1:46.70

Zac Incerti exerted himself on the field, opening up a big lead on the first 100 of the race, then expanding that lead through the 3rd 50. It appeared Incerti was going to run away with the event, until he tightened up over the final 20 meters of the race. Although his stroke clearly slowed down right at the end, he was still able to hold off 400 freestyler Elijah Winnington, who was charging fast at the end. Both Incerti and Winnington came in well under the FINA ‘A’ cut of 1:47.06, with each punching their tickets to Commonwelath Games and World Champs.

Mack Horton was able to run down 16-year-old Flynn Southam on the final 50, grabbing 3rd with a 1:46.70. With Southam clocking in at 1:46.82, Australia is looking incredibly strong in the 4×200 relay for both World Champs and Commonwealth Games.

WOMEN 400 IM FINALS

• World Record: 4:26.36 – Katinka Hosszu (2016)
• World Junior Record: 4:36.71 – Mio Narita (2022)
• Australian Record: 4:29.45 – Stephanie Rice (2008)
• Commonwealth Record: 4:29.12 – Summer McIntosh (2022)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 4:43.06

Podium:

1. Kaylee McKeown (GUSC) – 4:31.74
2. Jenna Forrester (STPET) – 4:36.77
3. Kiah Melverton (STPET) – 4:39.78

Kaylee McKeown put together a fantastic race across all 4 strokes, tearing to a new personal best of 4:31.74, which marks her first time under 4:32 in the event. McKeown didn’t take the lead until around the 150 mark, and she only grew her lead from that point on. Despite being the World Record holder in the 100 back, it was actually the breaststroke leg where McKeown really took the race over, splitting an incredibly fast 1:15.74. She was able to come home in 1:03.45, resulting in the 2nd-fastest time in the world this year.

In her post-race interview, McKeown said she will definitely be racing the 400 IM at Commonwealth Games, and she’s yet to decide if she’ll take the event on in Budapest at the World Championships.

18-year-old Jenna Forrester put together a phenomenal swim herself, clocking a new personal best by 3 seconds. In her interview, Forrester said she’s put a lot of her training focus in cleaning up her turns and transitions in the race, and that training appears to have paid dividends here tonight. Forrester blew away the FINA ‘A’ cut of 4:43.06.

Kiah Melverton was also able to get under 4:40, taking 3rd in 4:39.78. Melverton used her freestyle prowess to speed into the finish, splitting 1:02.45 on the freestyle 100.

WOMEN 50 BACK FINALS

• World Record: 26.98 – Liu Xiang (2018)
• World Junior Record: 27.49 – Minna Atherton (2016)
• Australian Record: 27.16 – Kaylee McKeown (2021)
• Commonwealth Record: 27.16 – Kaylee McKeown (2021)

Podium:

1. Mollie O’Callaghan (STPET) – 27.46
2. Bronte Job (RACKL) – 27.62
3. Minna Atherton (BOND) – 28.31

18-year-old Mollie O’Callaghan and 19-year-old Bronte Job pulled away from the field, both posting top 10 times in the world this year. Despite a more recent focus on her freestyle events, O’Callaghan now finds herself just 0.30 seconds off Kaylee McKeown‘s Australian Record of 27.16.

The swim also marks a personal best for Job, and both women would be finals contenders if they end up swimming the race at World Championships. O’Callaghan is already on the team in the 100 free, so she’ll be guaranteed the option of racing the 50 back at World Champs if she chooses to do so. We’ll have to wait to see if Job earns a spot on the team when all is said and done.

MEN 200 BREAST FINALS

• World Record: 2:06.12 – Anton Chupkov (2019)
• World Junior Record: 2:09.39 – Qin Haiyang (2017)
• Australian Record: 2:06.28 – Zac Stubblety-Cook (2021)
• Commonwealth Record: 2:06.28 – Zac Stubblety-Cook (2021)
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 2:10.32

Podium:

1. Zac Stubblety-Cook (CHAND) – 2:05.95 (WORLD RECORD)
2. Matthew Wilson (SOSC) – 2:10.14
3. Adam Selwood (PROP) – 2:13.68

Olympic Champion Zac Stubblety-Cook was in his bag tonight, getting out to a quick 1:01.8 on the first 100 before pulling away from the field in a hurry on the final 100. He was playing with the World Record pace the entire way, bursting through at the very end of the race. With the performance, Stubblety-Cook becomes the first man in the history of the sport to crack 2:06 in the LCM 200 breast.

We’ll have more in depth analysis on his performance tonight in a separate article, however, it’s still worth noting just how incredible his ability to maintain the speed in his stroke through the entirety of a 200 is.

Matthew Wilson also qualified for Budapest, turning in a solid 2:10.14. Wilson, a former World Record holder in the event himself, expressed a bit of disappointment in his swim, saying he was really struggling at the end. Nonetheless, Wilson is moving on to the World Championships and Commonwealth Games this summer, where a swimmer of his caliber is no doubt a medal threat.

WOMEN 4×100 FREE RELAY TIMED FINALS

Podium:

1. MANLY ‘A’ – 3:52.48
2. MARION ‘A’ – 3:54.82
3. NUNAWADING – 3:54.87

It was a close race until Charli Brown dove in to anchor the Manly relay to victory, throwing down a blistering 55.82 to rocket into the finish. Teammates Lillie McPherson (58.21), Georgina Seton (58.68), and Lauren Wilson (59.77) helped get the job done as well.

MEN 4×100 FREE RELAY TIMED FINALS

Podium:

1. SOSC ‘A’ – 3:24.05
2. Sydney University ‘A’ – 3:24.44
3. Southside Penrhos ‘A’ – 3:30.13

In what turned out to be a thrilling race, Sydney University’s James Koch blasted a 49.68 on the anchor leg, eating into SOSC anchor Declan Quirk’s lead. Koch was ultimately unable to fully catch Quirk, getting his hand on the wall 0.3 seconds behind Quirk.

On the winning relay, Angus McDonald (51.84), Tomas Kapocius (50.82), Vanya Kamenjas (50.52), and Quirk (50.87) teamed up for a 3:24.05.