16-Year-Old O’Callaghan Cracks Atherton Aussie Age Record In 200 Back

2020 QUEENSLAND SC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, September 25th – Sunday, September 27th
• Brisbane Aquatic Centre
• SCM (25m)
• SwimSwam Meet Preview
• Entries
• Day 1 Recap
• Live Results

Mollie O’Callaghan snagged two lifetime bests on day 1 of the 2020 Queensland Short Course Championships.

The 16-year-old knocked down a time of 24.58 in the SCM 50 freestyle to get under 25 seconds for the first time in her career. Entering this meet, the St. Peters Western swimmer’s personal best rested at the 25.19 from October of last year. As a result, she now ranks 3rd among the all-time Aussie list for 16-year-olds.

But O’Callaghan’s other big-time swim came in the 200 backstroke where the teen fired off a new Australian National Age Record for 16-year-olds. Touching in a ferocious time of 2:05.45, O’Callaghan not only trounced her age group field by over 9 seconds, but she hacked over 5 seconds off of her previous lifetime best of 2:10.88 posted in October of last year.

Splitting 1:00.20/1:05.25, O’Callaghan’s 2:05.45 PB here overtook the current Aussie age record which was represented by Minna Atherton‘s 2:05.74 from 4 years ago.

O’Callaghan’s time situates her just outside the top 10 all-time Aussie performers, all ages in this women’s 200m back event.

Of note, O’Callaghan was named to the NY Breakers roster for International Swimming League (ISL) season 2 but withdrew due to Australian travel restrictions. For perspective, O’Callaghan’s 2:05.45 from these championships would have placed 6th in the ISL Las Vegas final, capturing 3 points.