2023 Australian World Championship Trials: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2023 AUSTRALIAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

• Tuesday, June 13th – Sunday, June 18th
• Prelims at 10am local (8pm previous day EDT)/Finals at 7pm local (5am EDT)
• Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Center
• LCM (50m)
• World Championships Selection Criteria
• Meet Central
• Final Start List
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap/Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap/Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream (9now)

The third prelims session of the 2023 Australian World Championship Trials in Melbourne will feature preliminary heats of the men’s 200 fly, women’s 200 free, men’s 50 breast, and women’s 50 fly. Additionally, the men’s 800 free will be competed as a timed finals event today, with the early heats going this morning, and the fastest heat tonight with finals. This morning’s multi-class para events include the 50 back, 200 IM, and 150 IM.

All eyes will be on superstar Ariarne Titmus today in the women’s 200 free. The Australian and Commonwealth Record holder in the event is perhaps the favorite to win gold in the event in Fukuoka this summer, the first step of which will take place tonight. The 22-year-old won the women’s 400 free on the opening night of the meet with a speedy 3:58.47. The fastest time in the world this year in the 200 free is the 1:53.91 Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh swam back in April.

Matthew Temple comes in as the top seed in the men’s 200 fly today. Temple is entered at 1:55.25, a time which is a tick off the Swimming Australia qualifying standard of 1:54.91.

After winning the women’s 100 fly earlier in the meet, Emma McKeon is set to race the 50 fly today.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – HEATS

• World Record: 1:50.34, Kristof Milak (2022)
• Commonwealth Record: 1:52.96, Chad Le Clos (2012)
• Australian Record: 1:54.46, Nick D’Arcy (2009)
• All Comers Record: 1:52.09, Michael Phelps (2007)
• Swimming Australia QT: 1:54.91
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 1:56.71

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Matthew Temple – 1:56.40
2. Bowen Gough – 1:57.25
3. Harrison Turner – 1:58.88
4. William Petric – 1:59.30
5. Jesse Coleman – 2:00.07
6. Ruan Van Der Riet – 2:00.20
7. Alex Fahey – 2:00.39
8. Caio Gallo – 2:00.58

In a very solid prelims swim, Matthew Temple sped to a 1:56.40 to lead the field in the men’s 200 fly this morning. Temple finished just over a second off his seed time of 1:55.25, but importantly had some really great closing speed. He was out in 56.01 on the first 100, then split 30.53 on the third 50 before tearing home in 29.86 on the final length. That could be a good indication that he has more to give tonight, which is important because the Swimming Australia qualifying standard for the World Champs team sits at 1:54.91.

Bowen Gough also had a strong performance this morning, touching in 1:57.25 to take the second seed for tonight’s final. He was out faster than Temple, splitting 55.64 on the first 100m, but he didn’t have the same back-half speed as Temple this morning.

19-year-old Harrison Turner took over half a second off his seed time of 1:59.48, taking third overall this morning with a 1:58.88.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record: 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (2009)
• Commonwealth Record: 1:53.09, Ariarne Titmus (2021)
• Australian Record: 1:53.09, Ariarne Titmus (2021)
• All Comers Record: 1:53.09, Ariarne Titmus (2021)
• Swimming Australia QT: 1:56.87
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 1:58.66

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Ariarne Titmus – 1:55.54
2. Mollie O’Callaghan – 1:56.22
3. Lani Pallister – 1:57.00
4. Brianna Throssell – 1:57.19
5. Kiah Melverton – 1:57.32
6. Madi Wilson – 1:57.35
7. Jenna Forrester – 1:57.73
8. Meg Harris – 1:57.81

Ariarne Titmus didn’t waste an opportunity to put up a quick morning swim. The Commonwealth and Australian Record holder in the event, Titmus took the first heat of the women’s 200 free this morning in 1:55.54. That swim comes in just off her top time of 2023, which is a 1:55.28 that she swam in April. Of note, the top time in the world this year belongs to Summer McIntosh, who broke the World Junior Record in the event with a 1:53.91 in April.

Shayna Jack, who made waves earlier this year when she popped a 200 free PB of 1:55.37 at the Australian Swimming Championship, finished ninth this morning with a 1:57.87, missing the championship final by 0.06 seconds. Jack is primarily a 100 freestyler, however, her 1:55.37, which is currently sixth in the world this year, made her a major player to make the Australian 4×200 free relay this summer.

Behind Titmus this morning, the field is incredibly tight. Mollie O’Callaghan set herself apart by a bit, swimming a 1:56.22, but the other six swimmers who advanced all went 1:57-point. That sets up what ought to be a truly thrilling final tonight, with two individual roster spots and six relay spots up for grabs.

Also of note, Kaylee Mckeown ended up NS (no swimming) the event. McKeown was also a player for that 4×200 relay, coming in with a seed time of 1:56.88.

MEN’S MULTI-CLASS 50 BACKSTROKE – TIMED FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Tom Gallagher (S10) – 28.54
2. Ethan Blockey (S14) – 32.90
3. Harrison Vig (S9) – 32.56
4. Alexander Tuckfield (S10) – 33.19
5. Beau Matthews (S9) – 36.83
6. Riley Blitz (S19) – 33.02

In out first para event of the day, 24-year-old Tom Gallagher claimed victory in the men’s multi-class 50 backstroke, speeding to a 28.54. Gallagher took home a bronze medal in the 400 free at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

16-year-old Ethan Blockey came in second tonight, posting a 32.90.

As always, remember para swimming events aren’t ranked strictly with the final times. Rather, there is a scoring system which compares each swimmers’ time to the World Record in their respective classifications to produces a score, which is then used to rank the swims.

WOMEN’S MULTI-CLASS 50 BACKSTROKE – HEATS

RESULTS:

1. Hannah Price (S10) – 34.89
2. Montana Atkinson (S14) – 34.22
3. Victoria Belando Nicholson (S9) – 36.89
4. Kael Thompson (S14) – 36.17
5. Chloe Osborn (S7) – 46.28
6. Keira Warwick (S6) – 49.05
7. McKinley Arnison (S10) – 42.64
8. Seanna Thompson (S10) – 43.14

Hannah Price picked up a win in the women’s multi-class 50 back, swimming a 34.89. A pair of 15-year-olds, Montana Atkinson and Victoria Belando Nicholson, rounded out the top three, swimming 34.22 and 36.89 respectively.

MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 25.95, Adam Peaty (2017)
• Commonwealth Record: 25.95, Adam Peaty (2017)
• Australian Record: 26.74, Christian Sprenger (2014)
• All Comers Record: 26.58, Cameron Van Der Burgh (2018)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Samuel Williamson – 27.17
2. Grayson Bell – 27.75
3. Nash Wilkes – 27.87
4. Haig Buckingham – 27.99
5. Joshua Collett – 28.12
6. Matthew Wilson – 28.16
7. Jack Dugandzic – 28.24
8. Calvin Reed – 28.26

Samuel Williamson clocked the top time of the morning in the men’s 50 breast by a healthy margin. Williamson swam a 27.17, touching first by over half a second. While the 50 breast isn’t a selection event at this meet, Williamson put up a very strong morning swim, touching just 0.20 seconds off his seed time of 26.97. The Australian Record in this event stands at 26.74.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – HEATS

• World Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (2014)
• Commonwealth Record: 25.20, Fran Halsall (2014)
• Australian Record: 25.31, Holly Barratt (2019)
• All Comers Record: 25.47, Cate Campbell (2018)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Emma McKeon – 26.04
2. Alexandria Perkins – 26.25
3. Lily Price – 26.47
4. Olivia Wunsch – 26.49
5. Abigail Schoorl – 26.68
6. Kayla Costa – 27.06
7. Ellysia Oldsen – 27.33
8. Chloe Rowe-Hagans – 27.34

Emma McKeon, who is focusing on sprint events at this meet, clocked a 26.04 to lead the women’s 50 fly this morning. It was a solid swim for McKeon, who won the women’s 100 fly on the opening night of these Trials. McKeon took her 100 fly out in 26.43 in finals, so it seems very likely we see a 25-point from her tonight.

Alexandria Perkins, who came in fourth in the 100 fly, had a great swim this morning, finishing second in 26.25.

WOMEN’S MULTI-CLASS 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – TIMED FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Jasmine Greenwood (S10) – 2:36.93
2. Amelie Springett-Kelly (S6) – 3:28.28
3. Montana Atkinson (S14) – 2:46.12
4. Victoria Belando Nicholson (S9) – 2:54.76
5. Jasmin Fullgrabe (S9) – 2:55.28
6. Jordan Berryman (S8) – 3:07.84
7. Emma Chantry (S19) – 2:48.33

Jasmine Greenwood picked up a win in the women’s multi-class 200 IM this morning. She swam a 2:36.93, marking the fastest time in the field as well as the top-scoring performance.

Following their top three performances in the 50 back earlier in the session, Montana Atkinson and Victoria Belando Nicholson, both 15, came in third and fourth respectively in this race.

MEN’S MULTI-CLASS 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – TIMED FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Ricky Betar (S14) – 2:18.61
2. Samuel Gould (S14) – 2:24.38
3. Callum Simpson (S8) – 2:39.47
4. Beau Matthews (S9) – 2:36.91
5. Ethan Blockey (S14) – 2:37.35
6. Riley Blitz (S19) – 2:30.46

19-year-old Ricky Betar put up the fastest time and came out on top in scoring in the men’s multi-class 200 IM.

MEN’S MULTI-CLASS 150 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – TIMED FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Ahmed Kelly (S3) – 3:12.24

The only swimmer in the event, Ahmed Kelly put up a 3:12.24 to win the men’s multi-class 150 IM this morning. The 150 IM is Kelly’s best event, as he won silver in the race at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and the 2019 World Championships.