The Australian National Championship/Olympic Trials meet is set to begin this week, where the top talent down under will take to the pool in the name of constructing the Dolphins’ Rio roster.
Double World Champion and Australian National Record Holder Mitch Larkin is a key athlete to watch throughout the meet, having claimed 100m and 200m backstroke gold in Kazan while also the earning FINA’s Male Swimmer of the Year award. By far the Aussies’ top backstroker and a shoe-in for a spot in the Australian Olympic line-up, Larkin has already planted the seed that he’s still planning on bringing his ‘A game’ to Trials in Adelaide.
In fact, Larkin already has his sights on making the first move against potential Rio backstroking rival American Ryan Murphy, saying “For me it would be nice to get that first little jab in,” Larkin, referring to possibly breaking the current 100m backstroke World Record in Adelaide.
Murphy threw down 2 NCAA, American and U.S. Open records while competing for California at the NCAA Championships last month, something of which Larkin has taken notice.
“Having him (Murphy) there is pushing the boundaries,” Larkin said. “The pressure is certainly on but it is nothing overwhelming. I look forward to standing up to that pressure and seeing what happens.”
Larkin conveys he would not be shocked if the Americans ‘have a jab back at the U.S. Trials’ in terms of potentially taking down Aaron Peirsol’s elusive 100m backstroke World Record mark of 51.94 still remaining from the supersuit era (2009).
But, he also believes his own training and preparation for Aussie Trials is where it needs to be. “I’ve still got my speed,” Larkin states. “It (trials lead-up) is on par with my preparations for the world championships last year so I am happy with that.
Larkin continued, “It’s got some improvement in some areas and been able to maintain every other area. I am a perfectionist so I would never give myself a 10 but I would rate my preparation an 8 or 9.”
The Australian Olympic Trials begin on Thursday, April 7th in Adelaide, South Australia.
Either way, the intense competition will bring out the best in those tough enough to make it to Rio.
Don’t count out the Olympic champion come Rio
Doesn’t Olympic champion need to qualify first?
The 100 back will be intense in Omaha , thats for sure . Larkin will have serious opposition comes Rio .
Murphy still has to go through Plummer and Grevers, but I really hope he can break out this year in LCM. This race is going to be fun.
I think Murphy will be right there in the 100 battling it out with Larkin, he showed that he’s capable of it with the mixed relay lead off last year. He didn’t quite live up to that swim in his following races but I think he’ll be ready. In the 200 he still has a little ways to go if he wants to take a run at Larkin though 1.5 seconds behind last summer.
I thought Larkin had the best chance of gold from the Aussie men, but it is good to see Murphy closed some of the distance. It will be good to see if Murphy can translate some of his success to LCM.