2016 HANCOCK PROSPECTING AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS)
- Thursday April 7th-Thursday April 14th
- SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre – Adelaide
- Prelims – 11 am local (9:30 pm EDT previous evening); Finals – 7:45 pm local (6:15 am EDT)
- Australian Olympic Qualifying Criteria
- Psych Sheets
- Program of Events
- Live stream
- Live results
On Wednesday night in Adelaide Belinda Hocking qualified for her third Olympic Games winning the women’s 200 backstroke in a time of 2:06.49. Hocking’s time is a new all comers record and was well under the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:09.16.
Hocking swam the 200 backstroke at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, finishing eighth in 2008 and just outside of the finals in 2012. She had a great run of success in the event after London finishing second at the 2013 World Championships and winning gold at the 2014 Commowealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships. 2015 was not kind to Hocking who suffered from a severe burn to her hand, a dislocated knee and was involved in a car accident. As a result of her injuries and time away from the pool she did not compete in Kazan.
With her win tonight Hocking will join Alicia Coutts, Bronte Barratt, Cate Campbell and Emily Seebohm on their third consecutive Olympic team.
Seebohm added the 200 backstroke to her schedule in Rio finishing second to Hocking in a time of 2:06.59.
The 200 backstroke was the only event where two swimmers beat the Olympic qualifying standard.
Jessica Ashwood won the women’s 800 freestyle in a time of 8:18.42, one one-hundredth of a second off her Australian record time of 8:18.41. Tamsin Cook finished second in a time of 8:27.01 missing the Olympic qualifying standard of 8:26.96 by five one-hundredths of a second.
Cameron McEvoy added the men’s 50 freestyle to the list of events he will be swimming in Rio. McEvoy will now be competing in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle along with the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 freestyle relays and the 4 x 100 medley relay. Matthew Abood finished second in the event hitting the wall in a time of 22.08 missing the Olympic standard of 22.02 by six one-hundredths of a second.
David Morgan and Grant Irvine both made the Olympic team earlier in the competition finishing first and second in the 200 butterfly. Morgan and Irvine finished first and second once again in the 100 butterfly, but neither man was able to beat the Olympic qualifying standard of 51.51.