The second session on Saturday morning of the Australian National Team Time Trials in Brisbane cracked off just as well as the first as the Aussies sought a multi-day, multi-round racing experience as a last tuneup for the World Championships that begin in Barcelona in a month.
There will be another full-event list on Saturday at 3PM local time, but the morning results were really impressive.
James Magnussen had the best swim with a 48.12 in the men’s 100 freestyle. He is the fastest in the world this year, but only five swimmers worldwide have been better than he was on Saturday.
None of his race mates were nearly as good as he was; James Roberts was second-best in 49.44.
Cate Campbell, after putting up yet another speedy 100 free on Friday, focused on the 50 on Saturday morning. There, she was a 24.77, followed by her 19-year old younger sister Bronte Campbell in 24.87. That’s not quite as quality as her 100 is, but she may take another stab at the race on Saturday afternoon.
Alicia Coutts began her day with a 26.89 in the 50 fly, and followed that with a solid 2:12.36 in the 200 IM. Coutts doesn’t race nearly as much as you’ll see from most of the top Americans, for example, so it’s hard to really get a great comparison to where that sits as compared to previous seasons, but suffice it to say that a 2:12.3 a month out of Worlds is a good result.
That’s part of why this meet is so valuable, as it’s a month-out racing opportunity that the Australians don’t usually get that should help keep them focused.
Daniel Tranter won the men’s 200 IM in 1:59.57.
Other strong times from the morning session:
- 19-year old Emma McKeon was a 1:58.37 in the 200 free. That’s the fourth time this year that she’s been under her old career-best in the event. She’s due for an explosion in Barcelona, and could be the Australians’ secret weapon in the 800 free relay. She was also a 54.98 in the 100 free.
- Thomas Fraser-Holmes topped the men’s 200 free in 1:49.44, pushed the whole way by Cameron McEvoy (1:49.46).
- Ellen Gandy, who has switched her nationality from British to Australian but is still not yet eligible to compete for her new country, was a 2:09.74 in the 200 fly. With no Jess Schipper, Stephanie Rice, etc., for the time being, this 200 fly has suddenly become very, very open.
- Meagen Nay swam a 2:09.47 in the 200 backstroke.
48.11 for James Magnussen in the afternoon final. And 52.89 for Cate Campbell in the 100 free!!!! She looks unbeatable in the 100 free this year!
That’s how it seems to be. I won’t be easy for defending world champions, Ottesen and Herasimenia, to defend their common crown in this particular event, which is a bit unusual. They are so far behind at the moment. Ottesen can seek compensation elsewhere, that is butterfly, but Herasimenia must confront the situation.
Herasimenia still has a chance to fight for minor medals in both 50/100 free although it is slimmer in 100 free.
While Ottesen’s biggest chance to win gold is in 50 fly.
It left bitter taste in the mouth everytime Herasimenia win medal, being former steroid user and all.
Jeanette is not swimming the 100 free as her new coach is changing her stroke.
Didn’t know that. Thanks. What’s wrong with Jeanette’s style 🙁
Yes Aswim you beat me to it. Coutts 3rd lap was 38 & finished off with a 37 in season ! How good is Alicia. I have nothing but admiration the way she tackles events .
This season she is top 5 Australia for 50 100 free 50 100 back 50 100 fly 50 100 200 breast & 200 & 400 im. 11 events.
I cannot remember an Australian swimmer so impressive all around.
ian thorpe?
he would have certainly been t-5 in the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 200 IM, and 100 back, seeing as he won international medals in those
he may have also been nationally ranked in the 200 back, 400 IM and butterfly (up to 12 events)
No.
Ian’s free was a work of art . It would have been necessary to break that spectacular timeline to fit in other strokes. At the NSW school titles in at 11 he won 11 events – unparalleled. After 14 his free was the aim & the other strokes were left behind. When he decided to vary it in 2003 – his fly & breast were terrible.
As good as he was I won’t give him times that he never registered.
Also I should add Alicia’s Olympic 200 relay split so that makes 12 in one year.
The other candidate was Shane Gould at 9 .
why not? 100-800, 100 back and 200 IM he won WC or Commonwealth medals in, so he was obviously top 2 in the country in those. that’s 6 so far
in the 1500 in 2003 the #2 australian was 15:22. i think thorpe could have hit that
in the 200 back in ’03 second place was 2:00.77. thorpe was a second behind welsh at the 2002 commonwealth games in the 100 back, which of course is a lot. however welsh was a much better sprinter and thorpe more of a distancey-guy. i can’t imagine thorpe not being at least too far from welsh’s 1:57.9 and definitely not slower than whoever #5 was if #2 was 2:00.7
in the 400 IM… Read more »
I remember that around the Sydney Olympics he was considering swimming the 1500 and competed in the NSW state championships. He won, and I felt like the time was really good but not mind-blowing. I was determined to find the time, but it has disappeared. Lots of sites talk about the fact that he raced it, but none mention the time. I have no doubt 1999-2002 he could have been extraordinary in the event. I def think there was a time around 2003 that he had wanted it, he could have been in the top three nationally in the 100-200-400 free, 100-200 back and 200/400IM. I didn’t know his fly was that bad.
I have always wondered if Ian… Read more »
Campbell’s 52.89 is astonishing, and this presumably she has not started the taper yet.
going out in 25.39 and back in 27.50 shows so much control.
I am also impressed with Coutts 2:28 in 200 breast. She really has no weakness in her IM. Ungortunately for her, she is up against shiwen whos efficient and come home like nobody else.
Wish we knew the reaction times on these swims. She was very slow (by elite standards) at trials, consistently above 0.8, when the best are going 0.6 or even a bit lower. Assuming this swim is untapered, does that mean she could possibly go near the 51s with a full taper and fast start? Astonishing indeed.