2023 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- April 17 – 20, 2023
- Marine Parade, Southport, Queensland
- Gold Coast Aquatic Centre
- Long Course Meters
- Meet Central
- Entry Sheets
- Prelims at 10 a.m. AEST / 8 p.m. EST; finals at 6 p.m. AEST / 4 a.m. EST
- Preview
- Live results
- Day 1 Prelims Recap
- Day 1 Finals Recap
The second day of the 2023 Australian Championships continued on Tuesday morning with prelims of the women’s 400 IM, men’s 200 free, women’s 100 back, women’s 50 free, men’s 200 breast, women’s 200 fly, men’s 50 back, and women’s 100 breast.
Fresh off a runner-up finish in the women’s 200 IM on Monday, 19-year-old Jenna Forrester earned the top qualifying spot in the 400 IM with a 4:47.68, nearly 11 seconds off her lifetime best from last year’s Australian Championships.
In the men’s 200 free, 19-year-old Kai Taylor outdueled 24-year-old Kyle Chalmers to claim the top seed in prelims with a 1:46.82. Chalmers was about half a second behind in 1:47.39, which is less than two seconds off his personal-best time from the 2021 Australian Trials. 26-year-old Mack Horton placed 33rd in the 200 free heats with a 1:52.89.
After lowering her own Australian All Comers record in the 200 back (2:08.16), 21-year-old Kaylee McKeown led the 100 back prelims with a 59.57, less than two seconds off her world-leading 57.84 from last month. Mollie O’Callaghan, 19, reached the wall less than a second behind McKeown with a 1:00.21 as the only other swimmer under 1:01 this morning. Minna Atherton, 22, scratched the event.
On the heels of Monday night’s thrilling women’s 100 free final, we should be in for another fun showdown in the 50 free. Shayna Jack, 24, led the 50 free prelims with a 24.85, just .01 seconds ahead of 21-year-old Meg Harris, who tied for the bronze medal at last year’s World Championships. The field is stacked behind them between 28-year-old Emma McKeon (25.04), O’Callaghan (25.11), 30-year-old Cate Campbell (25.29), and 28-year-old Madi Wilson (25.34). Jack was about half a second slower than her season-best 24.26 from last month, which ranks second in the world this season.
World record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook will be in action during the men’s 100 breast final, where he’s the top seed with a 2:12.34. Stubblety-Cook set the world record at last year’s Australian Championships with a 2:05.95. Matthew Wilson, 24, reached the wall more than a second behind Stubblety-Cook this morning with a 2:13.36.
One of the most impressive swims from prelims this morning came courtesy of Elizabeth Dekkers, who threw down a 2:08.83 in the women’s 200 fly to become the 14th-fastest performer in the world this season. The time was less than two seconds off her personal-best 2:07.01 from last year’s World Championships. 23-year-old Laura Taylor (2:12.27), 27-year-old Brianna Throssell (2:12.27), and 28-year-old Emma McKeon (2:12.64) rounded out the top four in the 200 fly.
After clocking a new Australian textile record in the men’s 50 fly on Monday night (23.05), 20-year-old Ben Armbruster led the 50 back prelims on Tuesday morning with a 25.11.
We could also be in for a tight battle in the women’s 100 breast between 24-year-old Abbey Harkin (1:08.38) and 26-year-old Jenna Strauch (1:08.56).
Fantastic Swim ..kinda what i was expecting.
Absolutely – a good shot at the final in Fukuoka, esp. if she can find a few more seconds?
Breaking news – Trials will be held indoors in June in Melbourne .. cool down in outside pools ❄️ ☃️
Swim swam why dont you ask some of the key swimmers have they fully tapered or semi tapered or no taper for ex emma or arrianne , stbbly cook would be great insight
It’s reported elsewhere that Titmus is training through.
And sick too…
It’s not as if swimswam has the phone numbers of everyone… And unlikely any ‘key swimmer’ in the middle of a semi-important comp would bother replying.
Thoughts re tonight’s menu
W400IM: Very curious to see what Forrester may produce given last night’s 200 PB. Another PB is not out of the question but something inside QT of 4.38.53 is a reasonable bet. Anyone else under 4.40 = bonus
M200FR: Taylor clearly has shown outstanding recent form. Would not surprise to see a few 1.46s; maybe someone hits a 1.45.
4100BK: Given McKeown’s current form, it would not surprise to see another sub58. Even more curious re MOC and whether Barclay can back up her Age showing.
W50free: Not expecting anything truly earthshattering from the very biggest guns (McKeon/C1) but 24 lowish from the medium calibre (Jack/Harris) seems reasonable.
M200BRS: Minimal expectations here. No need for ZSC… Read more »
I’m tipping a PB for Short so I think he will be quicker than 14.48.54.
For me that would be just a par swim
There’s basically great potential for a great time or race in every event tonight except the 100 breast. Even then, a great time by Strauch would be awesome but I’ll be surprised if she’s under 1:06 high.
Tight-ish turnaround by MOC. Only 4 100m swims between her two races (B final and age final, then two para). That’s what, 20 minutes? Probably less.
In theory this could be the best finals session.
In all honesty; I think we’ll see a mixed bag given the conditions plus selection not being on the line.
With MOC, expecting more from the 100back firstly due to it being the earlier race plus 100 being more in her wheelhouse distance-wise.
Your estimation of W100BRS lines up close to mine but the race I see as the most likely fizzer with regards to times is the M200BRS. I seriously hope to be proven way over cautious but one does hope that in pursueing an elusive rabbit with 100BRS; ZSC hasn’t compromised his 200.
To answer Rob re Short; could certainly happen but I tend to think 1500 may be his weaker event and he’s going to be out… Read more »
What two swims does MOC have tonight?
100 back and 50 free. The programme is online
Should be a great night of racing coming up. I’m excited.
Most excited to see what Emma goes in the 200 fly tonight. For interests sake as she won’t swim it anywhere big
What’s McKeon’s PB in the 200 fly?
2:07 something.
2.07.37 back in 2017
2-07.37 from 2017
I think it’s a good decision for Emma to have a rare (these days) hit-out in the 200 Fly.
Who knows if she would swim it at our trials, but it’s not impossible that she could miss out on a WC berth in the individual 100/200 (maybe even 50?) free, so why not keep her options open in another event.
It’s an interesting choice. She is very unlikely to qualify in the 200 free individually if she swam it. She is essentially guaranteed the 100 fly. 50 and 100 free seem likely for her but no guarantees. If she only had 100 fly as an individual event (also meaning she’s likely cut from MMR and possibly MFR), then I guess the 200 fly could interest her.
Although even if she doesn’t qualify individually for the 100 it’s hard to see her not swimming it on relays because her relay splits are ridiculously strong. Even when she came third at Comm Games last year she had the second fastest 100 free split of 2022 (0.01 behind MOC’s best split).
I… Read more »
Seeing as she hasn’t swam a competitive LC 200free since Tokyo; it seems abundantly clear that’s off the table.
100fly is a near certainty to qualify given the soft (for her) QT and minimal depth of the event domestically.
Whilst its true competition is stiff for both 50/100 individual spots; she’s still very well placed in the 100 pecking order and with the 50; she was still capable of a sub24 (2nd fastest time of 2022). In any case, she is still a pivotal part of the 4X100.
Whilst she is capable of a 2.07 200fly which IS probably finalist standard internationally; to progress any further would necessitate a recallibration of her training and the price tag for that will… Read more »
Great swim from Kai Taylor
Looking forward to where he can take the 200 free, by all accounts training very well. Boxall knows how to train freestylers.
MOC should go train with Todd at UVA
She’s double Olympic champion, six time world champion, five time Commonwealth champion and five time world record holder at 19. I think she’s doing ok where she is.
its actually kind of crazy that she already technically has as many senior international gold medals as Bronte (13)
With 1 gold medal at LC words and 1 gold at CG and 0 WRs individually.
She does hold numerous age records and has achieved very rare things for her age, things may look awfully different in 18 months time.
As compared to DeSorbo’s swimmers who have a combined total of zero Olympic golds (individual or otherwise), 1 Long course worlds gold and zero individual world records?
Mollie literally beats the entirety of UVA combined. Still unsure why moving there would be suggested?
Why? If anything, UVA people should go and train with Boxall.
We would welcome your further elucidation regarding your rationale for such a move ?
Not sure she is lacking in anything that he specifically could help with, LCM that is.