16-year old Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus has broken the National Age Record in prelims of the women’s 400m freestyle. For the “Terminator” as she’s known on the Australian team, this is her first international team.
Swimming in the last heat (heat 4) of the event in the morning session on Sunday, Titmus swam a 4:04.26. That broke her own record of 4:04.82 from Australia’s Trials, which in turn broke the old age record for 16-year olds of 4:06.17, done by Tasmin Cook in 2016. Cook is also on this year’s Worlds team, but not in the 400 free.
“I knew I would have to treat this like a final to make the final, and I wasn’t really expecting to go that fast so hopefully tonight with a bit of adrenalin and a bit more nerves I’ll be able to go a bit quicker,” Titmus said after the race. “(Racing Katie Ledecky is) not that bad, it’s quite cool actually, it’s good to have her next to me in the race to see how I’m going, but she’s just another swimmer like me.”
Titmus’ swim is actually the fastest ever done by an Austrailan 18 & under in any category – it beats out Cook’s 4:04.36 for 17-year olds and Katie Goldman’s 4:05.84 for 18-year olds done in 2010.
Titmus now vaults all the way up to 4th on the all-time Australian any-age rankings.
Fastest Australian performers:
- Jessica Ashwood – 4:03.34
- Kylie Palmer – 4:03.40
- Bronte Barratt – 4:03.52
- Ariarne Titmus – 4:04.26
- Tasmin Cook – 4:04.36
Titmus is the 3rd seed heading into Sunday’s final behind Americans Leah Smith and Katie Ledecky.