Matt Targett continued to swim very well at the 2012 Victorian State Championships in Melbourne when he took the title in the 100 free final in 48.71.
Many, if not more, eyes were focused on comebacker Michael Klim as he failed to improve on his preliminary swim, and tied for 7th in the final in 50.46. He was clocked at 50.15 in prelims.
This is a challenge that the comeback Australians will continue to face – how to put themselves safely through the morning heats and still manage to peak in finals. Thorpe struggled with that as well, as he missed the final all together after marking 51.05 in prelims.
Young 17-year old up-and-comer Cameron McEvoy had a nice drop in finals to touch 2nd in 49.66, followed by Jame Roberts in 49.77 for 3rd. Cameron Prosser, who looked great in the morning, slipped back to tie Klim for 7th at 50.46.
As this was the first major long course meet of the year, most of the winning times will become 2012 world-bests.
Britain’s Ellen Gandy won the women’s 50 fly on the day in 26.54. That’s a dangerously-good lifetime best for a swimmer who gets better as the butterfly races get longer, and moves her into 2nd-place in the all-time British rankings.
In the women’s 100 free, 2008 Olympian Melanie Schlanger continued her resurgence with a monster win in 53.87. That’s just .02 off of her career best time, and when combined with last month’s Queensland Championships gives her the two best times of her life in two months. She becomes a huge factor in the Australian relay scene after these two performances. Veteran Kelly Stubbins took 2nd in 55.17.
Brenton Rickard won the men’s 50 breast in 28.28, and Sarah Katsoulis took the women’s 100 in 1:08.18.
And finally, Christopher Wright but up a very good in-season mark of 1:57.97 in the men’s 200 fly. Even with Nick D’Arcy’s Olympic status still uncertain, that puts him squarely in sights of an Olympic bid.