In the long course edition of the 2013 Queensland Championships, records are falling left-and-right. The biggest mark, however, has been made by sprinter and World Champion Cate Campbell in the 100 meter freestyle, where in the open class, Cate Campbell set the Queensland State Record and the Australian Open Record, while just missing her own National Record, with a 52.69. That’s about two seconds faster than she was at this same meet last year.
The elder of the Campbell sisters, in her first of two entries at this meet, was out in 25.27 and back in 27.42: a relatively tempered beginning, but an electric finish.
Her sister Bronte Campbell was 2nd in 53.85, followed by Brittany Elmslie (54.71) and Emma McKeon (54.76).
In other editions of this race, Chelsea Gillett won the 16-year olds event in 55.73; and Shayna Jack won the 15-year olds 100 free in 54.80, which cleared the Queensland Open (aka, fastest on Queensland soil) record.
Elsewhere in this meet, budding star Thomas Fraser-Holmes has expanded his schedule a bit for this meet. First, in the 200 free, he was a 1:48.21. That made him the top Australian finisher, but put him 2nd overall to Tae Hwan Park’s 1:47.92. Cameron McEvoy was 3rd in 1:48.41, and Kurt Herzog, a 21-year old from SOPAC was 4th in 1:48.96.
Then in the 400 free, Fraser-Holmes was again 2nd, with a 3:50.50 coming in behind New Zealander Matthew Stanley and his 3:48.49.
Fraser-Holmes would also win the 400 IM early in this meet in 4:18.43, but after scratching the 200 IM, his new event would be the 200 fly, which again he won in 1:59.07.
Count Emma McKeon also among the big winners at the meet. She won the women’s 200 free in another Queensland All-Comers record of 1:56.17. McKeon’s career, at just 19, was built with her breakout over the summer at the World Championships, and now she heads toward the 2016 Games on the verge of Australian stardom, with more pressure than before. So far, she’s lived up to that pressure.
The women’s had 5 swimmers break the two-minute barrier in this race, including New Zealander Lauren Boyle (1:58.63) and another 19-year old Brittany Elmslie (1:58.66). In fact, three of the four Aussie women under two minutes were just 19.
Boyle would win the 400 free later in the meet in 4:07.52, beating out McKeon’s 4:09.08, and Boyle would pick up her 2nd victory by going 8:28.77 in the women’s 800 free.
Sally Foster had a big final 50 in the women’s 200 breaststroke to overcome Taylor McKeown 2:26.24-2:26.76, with foster having a decade of experience on the silver medalist. 16-year old Georgia Bohl took 3rd in 2:28.74. Lorna Tonks would win the women’s 100 in a 1:08.10, perhaps a bit less impressive of a race than the 200, with Foster 2nd in 1:08.17 and Bohl 3rd in 1:08.77.
A newcomer in a thin Australian men’s breaststroke ranks, 20-year old Buster Sykes from the Nudgee Brothers Swim Club won the men’s version of that 200 breast in 2:14.50.
Madeline Groves out-touched Elmslie in the women’s 100 fly 57.73-59.97. That’s a new lifetime best for the 18-year old Groves, and is exactly half-a-second from Jessicah Schipper’s Australian Age Record.
Jayden Hadler won the men’s 100 fly in 52.67, clearing Tommaso D’Orsogna (52.99) and Daniel Tranter (53.14). Kenneth To, who’s taken some time off from competition after a good FINA World Cup run to focus on studies, was 5th in 53.51.
Christian Sprenger was a winner in the men’s 100 breaststroke in 1:00.49 – placing ahead of Sykes who was a 1:02.76. Hadler, the 100 fly winner, was 3rd here in 1:02.88, which is a very good double for him. It’s no surprise that he took 2nd in the 200 IM in 2:01.53, having been bettered only by Tranter’s 1:59.02.
James Magnussen wasn’t at this meet, which left D’Orsogna to win the men’s 100 free in 49.07. Kenneth To was 2nd in 49.33, and Daniel Tranter was 3rd in 49.44. Park took 4th in 50.03.
Emily Seebohm cracked a minute in the 100 backstroke with a 59.53, followed by Madison Wilson in 1:00.63. Seebohm, who seems as though she’s been through a lifetime of swimming, is still only 21-years old despite almost 8 years of competing at the senior international level already.
Meagen Nay took the women’s 200 backstroke in 2:09.75, with Wilson again touching 2nd in 2:10.03. Seebohm was just 4th in that race in 2:12.76.
Bobby Hurley won the men’s 100 back in 54.82: a tenth-of-a-second ahead of Daniel Arnamnart. Mitch Larkin won the longer 200 meter backstroke with a 1:58.11, which is a new Queensland All-Comers record.
Full results from the first three days of the meet available in PDF here.
No live results for this meet, but results files will be uploaded each night here.
The 1:44 might no be enough to medal.. with Agnel and Sun.. and maybe for this team level.. Izotov Dwyer and maybe Horton… but I would still take a few bets on Park
3:42 is Medal for Sure I think.. except Park who can probably go 3:39 there is no one I can see going even a 3:43 on the future Except Horton
Rafael, that 3:47 is still making championship finals makes me believe the event is being severely under swum. Dwyer’s progress suggests me to that a 1:43high and 342 would probably soon be possible for him, and it’ll be only a matter of time before an Australian finds his way down there too. With Agnel joining the party, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’ll take sub 342 to medal in Rio
Park’s already been 1:46 and 3:46 earlier this year, which are standard world class times. He must be rather confident of his abilities because 1:44 high and 3:42, soon, will not be enough to contend for gold (or even medals).
Cate Campbell has a lower turnover in her 100 than Magnussen does, I dont really know how much faster she could get, but she looks like a boat — really high up in the water when she swims.
James Magnussen wasn’t at the meet because it’s the Queensland State Champs, and Magnussen trains in a Sydney club.
52.69 is the third fastest textile ever I think, behind CC’s own 52.33 and 52.34 from Barcelona.
McKeon keeps getting faster especially in 200 which is a perfect event for her. 1:56.17 would have placed her fourth in Barcelona behind Missy, Pellegrini and Muffat.
Judging by his entry in this meet, Park Tae-Hwan must already be back training with Michael Bohl. I’m glad he has not retired. I want him to keep challenge for medals in 200/400.
I added Emma McKeon to my list after her 51.69 in the 100m free at the World Cup in Tokyo. The performance would have brought a gold medal to her in the European s/c Championships last weekend. I like her technique and her long underwaters look promising.
Now as I got started on talking of technique, it’s a good chance of praising Park as well. He’s got probably the most beautiful mid-distance freestyle technique in the planet on Men’s side and I wouldn’t complain of watching it until the Rio.
Magnussen swam in 2 club relays on day 1 of the Queensland States. He was entered in 3 events – 50m & 200m free and 50m fly, but has since withdrawn from the 200m free. 50m free heats are this morning, I wonder if he will race?