2018 NSW STATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Friday, January 19th – Sunday, January 21st
- Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center (SOPAC)
- LCM
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview
- Start List
- Day 1 Recap
- Day 2 Recap
- Results
25-year-old Cate Campbell completed her freestyle triple at NSW State Open Championships, clinching an unexpected 200m freestyle victory on night 3 to cap off her earlier 100m and 50m sprint victories.
Opening in a eye-popping 55.93 split to lead the field after the first 100m, C1 saw her Aussie countrymates make up ground coming home to make it a thrilling race to the wall. Ultimately, Campbell took the win in 1:58.86, just .09 ahead of 23-year-old Bond athlete Madi Wilson. Wilson wound up with a mark of 1:58.95 for silver, while Mikkayla Sheridan rounded out the top 3 in 1:58.98.
Campbell was in a noticeably exhaustive state after the race, gripping the wall and lane line to catch her breath. Once settled post-race, C1 stated of the affair, “I could see the other girls coming at me and I thought, well, see you guys, I can’t match it with you.
“And when I touched the wall, I was like, what? I was told to attack it, that’s what I did. It was a good representation of what I had on the day and no, I will not be doing the 200m freestyle at (Trials).”
Offering insight to her coach Simon Cusack’s advice regarding the 200m, C1 said, “Simon (Cusack) said that I would have a healthy appreciation for the 100m after doing the 200m. I have a very healthy appreciation for the 100m and every time I do a 200m, it increases.
“I was hoping if I do enough bad ones he would stop me doing them but the competitive edge in me just couldn’t let me bomb out on every race that I do.
“I won’t be doing one again in a hurry, they hurt a lot but I’m pleased with all my swims this week.”
However, C1 does keep the option open to race on the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay if the green and gold should need her speedy talents.
“Look, if my country need me, if it’s in dire straits, then I will come to its aid. If I’m called upon, then I will step up but I’m really hoping that the young guys step up in that 200m and they can leave the old dogs to go the 100m,” said Campbell.
Other winners tonight included veteran James Roberts who took the men’s 50m freestyle ahead of Ravenswood’s James Magnussen, with the former clocking 22.04 to the latter’s 22.46. 17-year-old Minna Atherton was tonight’s 50m backstroke winner in 28.27, while 18-year-old Laura Taylor was able to nab the women’s 200m fly victory over Olympian Emma McKeon. Taylor touched in 2:08.11, while McKeon, yesterday’s 100m butterfly title winner, took silver in tonight’s longer event in 2:08.32.
Quotes courtesy of Hanson Media.