Comeback Complete: Grant Hackett Earns Spot on Australian World Championships Team

2015 HANCOCK PROSPECTING AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Friday, April 3 to Friday, April 10, 2015
• Times: prelims 9:30 am, semis/ finals 6:30 pm
• Location: Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (GMT +11, or 15 hours ahead of N.Y., 18 ahead of L.A.)
• Live Results: Available
• Championship Central

Men’s 200 freestyle – Finals

With the line-up set in the men’s 200 freestyle final it was easy to predict that there would be great storylines and exciting racing, it did not disappoint.

20 year old Cameron McEvoy led the race from start to finish taking the event in a time of 1:45.94. His time puts him on top of the world rankings surpassing Yannick Agnel who posted a 1:45.97 earlier this week.

400 freestyle champion David McKeon made a push in the final 50 meters to try to catch McEvoy, but was unsuccessful eventually finishing second in a time of 1:46.33 which is good enough for fourth in the world rankings.

Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships gold medalist Thomas Fraser-Holmes and teammate Grant Hackett had an extremely exciting battle for the bronze. Fraser-Holmes turned 15 one-hundredths ahead of Hackett at the 50, 12 one-hundredths of a second at the 100 and 14 one-hundredths of a second at the 150.

Hackett almost took over the medal winning position, but fell one one-hundredth short of that feat. Fraser-Holmes took the bronze in a time of 1:46.83 followed by Hackett who touched in a time of 1:46.84.

All four men were under the FINA standard of 1:47.31 which means that Hackett has accomplished the first significant goal of his comeback, making the Australian national team. Hackett, who will swim on the 4 x 200 freestyle relay, will be competing at his sixth World Championships.

Daniel Smith finished fifth in a time of 1:47.27 followed by Kurt Hezog (1:47.77), Ned McKendry (1:48.03) and Jacob Hansford (1:48.73).

Women’s 100 backstroke – Final

Emily Seebohm, who the gold at both the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships this summer took, the women’s 100 backstroke in a time of 58.91, which is just off her season’s best of 58.89 which sits atop the world rankings. The win was not an easy one of Seebohm who was pushed by Madison Wilson for the entire race.

Seebohm turned at the 50 meter mark in a time of 28.32 followed by Wilson whose feet hit the wall in a time of 28.69. Wilson came charging home in the final 50 meters but fell five one-hundredths of a second short of catching Seebohm.

• Seebohm – 28.32/58.91 (30.59)
• Wilson – 28.69/58.94 (30.25)

Wilson’s time places her second in the world rankings.

Hayley Baker collected the bronze in a time of 1:00.23.

14 year old Minna Atherton finished fourth in a time of 1:01.18 followed by Mikka Sheridan (1:01.54), Holly Barratt (1:01.95), Hayley Abood (1:02.71) and Sian Whittaker (1:02.75).

Men’s 100 backstroke – Final

Mitch Larkin went wire to wire in the men’s 100 backstroke winning the event in a time of 53.10. Larkin’s time is now the world’s number one time beating Irie Ryosuke’s time of 53.15 which he posted at the BHP Billiton Super Series.

The time also beats Larkin’s lifetime best of 53.28 which he posted last year.

Ben Treffers collected the silver in a time of 53.77 just ahead of Joshua Beaver who hit the wall in a time of 53.82. Treffers time places him sixth in the world rankings while Beaver’s time ties him with Ryan Murphy for seventh.

Ashley Delaney finished fourth in a time of 54.15 followed by Robert Gerlach (54.74), Bobby Hurley (54.80), Ben Edmonds (55.29) and Will Stockwell (55.32).

Women’s 1500 freestyle – Final

Chelsea Gubecka took the women’s 1500 freestyle in a time of 16:23.95. Gubecka’s time places her fifth in the world rankings. Kareena Lee also broke into the world’s top 10 posting a 16:36.10 which sits 10th in the world rankings.

Phoebe Hines finished third in a time of 16:54.00. She was followed by Madeleine Gough (17:13.21), Nerice Smith (17:26.97), Molly Batchelor (17:31.94), Jessica Erington (17:36.82) and Laura Davy (17:36.93).

Gubecka was not the fastest time of the day as Lauren Boyle of New Zealand posted the world’s fastest time of 16:06.72 in the prelim.

 Women’s 100 breaststroke – Final

The women’s 100 breaststroke was an exciting battle between five women; Taylor McKeown, Lorna Tonks, Sally Hunter, Jessica Hansen and Tessa Wallace. At the 50 meter mark all five women were within 29 one-hundredths of a second of each other.

Ultimately it was McKeown who would come out on top posting a time of 1:07.07 which is good enough to place her fourth in the world rankings.

Tonks took the silver in a time of 1:07.46 followed by Hunter (1:07.63), Hansen (1:07.72), and Wallace (1:07.74).

Leiston Pickett finished sixth in a time of 1:08.31 followed by Georgia Bohl (1:08.38) and Libby Forbes (1:09.87)

Men’s 50 breaststroke – Semi-Final

Christian Sprenger was the top qualifier in the men’s 50 breaststroke recording a time of 27.70. Tommy Sucipto had the next fastest qualifying time of 27.92 followed by Jake Packard who posted a 28.00.

 Women’s 200 freestyle – Semi-Final

The women’s 200 freestyle is shaping up to be another great event with four women swimming under 1:58 in the semi-final. Brittany Elmslie was the top qualifier hitting the wall in a time of 1:57.45.

Kylie Palmer was the next fastest qualifier posting a 1:57.47 followed by Jessica Ashwood (1:57.91) and Emma McKeon (1:57.96). Bronte Barratt, who has also gone under 1:58 this year, was the next fastest qualifier finishing in a time of 1:58.13.

Men’s 200 butterfly – Semi-Final

There were only three men under the 2 minute mark in the men’s 200 butterfly semi-final. Keiran Qaium was the fastest qualifier touching in a time of 1:58.16 followed by Grant Irvine (1:58.38) and Nicholas Brown (1:58.45).