2016 NSW STATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Friday, March 4th – Sunday, March 6th
- Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center (SOPAC)
- Prelims at 9am local (5pm Eastern night before)/Finals at 6pm local Thurs/Fri (2am Eastern), 5:30pm local Sat (1:30am Eastern)
- Entry Lists
- Timeline of Events
- Meet Preview
- Results
In the last high-caliber meet before Australia’s Olympic Trials in April, the big stars played their cards fairly close to their vests during day 1 prelims. With some international talent sprinkled throughout the men’s and women’s events, there is certainly a competitive air floating around Sydney, however, which should translate to quicker results come finals.
Women’s Highlights
Danish sprinter Jeanette Ottesen set the stage in two events today, beginning with the non-Olympic 50m butterfly. 25.97 is what the 28-year-old clocked to take the top seed ahead of Aussie stand-outs Alicia Coutts (26.64) and Emma McKeon (26.99).
That same trio of power were present in the 100 freestyle morning race, but fell shy of leader Cate Campbell who surged to the top of the pack with her mark of 53.72. Cate split 25.68/28.04 to stop the clock with the only sub-54-second mark of the morning. Ottesen settled for runner-up headed into the finals, touching in 54.58 with ‘a’ Bronte seeded 3rd in 54.82. And by a Bronte, I mean Bronte Barratt of St. Peters & Western and not Cate’s sister/Commercial teammate Bronte Campbell. Bronte Campbell scratched the event.
McKeon slid into the 6th seed in the 100 free with her time of 55.03, while Coutts also made the final in the 7th-fastest time of the morning in 55.23.
Another Danish swimmer made an appearance this morning in the form of 27-year-old Rikke Pedersen. Pedersen notched the 8th-fastest time in the 100 breaststroke, clearing a time of 1:09.01 to just sneak in tonight’s final. But she has a hill to climb to get into the 1:07 range that the top of the pack is already at.
Jennie Johansson, who represents Sweden internationally but trains in Australia, notched the top time followed closely by Australian National Record Holder, 18-year-old rising breaststroking star Georgia Bohl. Bohl owned a 1:07.57 time this morning to mark just the 2nd swimmer under 1:08 headed into tonight.
Of note, two Japanese swimmers, Kanako Watanabe and Misaki Sekiguchi will also race for the top of the podium in the 100m breast, having claimed the 4th and 6th seeds in times of 1:08.46 and 1:08.62, respectively.
Double World Champion Emily Seebohm was listed on the entry lists as swimming her signature 100 and 200 backstroke events, however, she scratched on today. She may be a scratch for the entire meet, we’ll keep watch.
Men’s Highlights
Mack Horton got the job done in the 400m freestyle, earning a time of 3:50.13 to lead the field into finals. Right on his heels are a pair of Chandler teammates in David McKeon and Jack McLoughlin, who scored times of 3:51.44 and 3:52.42 to round out the top 3 seeds.
Speaking to the lack of depth, or even presence for that matter, of the Australian butterfliers, 4 out of the top 5 seeds in the 200m race were from Japan. 17-year-old Nao Horomura led the morning heats with a time of 1:58.67, with teammate Takumi Terada less than a second behind in 1:59.04.
Kieran Qaium was the host country’s highest-placing finisher, with his mark of 1:59.30 earning him the 3rd seed for tonight.
In the men’s 100m freestyle race, 21-year-old science student Cameron McEvoy rocked a 48.70 to notch the morning’s top mark and only time under the 49-second threshold.
Just behind was Ravenswood’s James Magnussen, who touched in 49.31 in just his 3rd meet back since returning to the pool post-shoulder surgery. With that said, however, we are just a couple of months out from Trials, so Maggie fans most certainly would feel more reassured seeing a 48-mid or 48-high come finals.
17-year-old Marion Swim Club star Kyle Chalmers is also right in the 100 free mix, clearing the 5th seed in 49.73, while James Roberts is also in medal contention with a time of 49.77 headed into tonight.