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Sam Williamson Rips 58.95 100 Breast in Prelims to Become Fastest Aussie Since 2013

2024 AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS

WHOLE MEET PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

Sam Williamson clocked a personal-best 58.95 in the 100 breaststroke prelims at the Australian Olympic Trials on Monday morning, becoming the fastest Aussie in the event since 2013.

After dropping about a quarter second off his previous-best 59.21 from February’s World Championships, the 26-year-old now ranks as the third-fastest Australian ever in the 100 breast behind Christian Sprenger (58.79 in 2013) and national record holder Brenton Rickard (58.58 in 2009). Before this year, Williamson’s best time stood at 59.86 from last June’s Trials, where he placed 2nd behind Zac Stubblety-Cook (59.68).

Williamson’s recent improvement makes him a strong contender to make the Olympic final in Paris next month as the eighth-fastest performer in the world this season. Australia hasn’t boasted an Olympic finalist in the 100 breast since Springer won silver back at the London 2012 edition.

Williamson’s performance is also great news for Australia’s medal hopes in both the mixed and men’s 400 medley relays. Stubblety-Cook blasted a 58.67 breast split in the men’s 400 medley relay at the Tokyo Olympics, where Australia placed 5th, but he went 59.88 and 59.25 at World Championships during the same races in 2022 and 2023. Stubblety-Cook, the reigning Olympic champion in the 200 breast, owns a best flat-start 100 breast time of 59.51 from 2022.

The Australian men haven’t medaled in the 400 medley relay at the Olympics since 2016, when Jake Packard split 58.84 to help them claim bronze in Rio.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

  • World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019
  • Australian Record – 58.58, Brenton Rickard (AUS), 2009
  • Swim Australia OQT – 59.49
  • 2021 Time to Final – 1:01.84, James McKechnie

Top 8 

  1.  Sam Williamson (MVC) – 58.95
  2.  Joshua Yong (UWSC) – 1:00.12
  3.  Joshua Collett (BOND) – 1:00.57
  4.  Zac Stubblety-Cook (CHAND) – 1:00.58
  5.  Haig Buckingham (SOSC) –  1:01.02
  6.  Nash Wilkes (STHPT) – 1:01.03
  7.  Bailey Lello (CHAND) – 1:01.08
  8. Matthew Wilson (SOSC) – 1:01.30

Williamson was well under the Australian qualifying time of 59.49, but he’ll have to repeat the feat tonight in order to clinch his spot in Paris.

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StuffTheSilver
5 months ago

As mentioned by some others,Australia is now in the mix for the mixed 4 x 100 relay
Kaylee
Williamson
Temple
MOC
Flat time of 3.38.30
World Record (GB 2021 Olympics) with fly starts of 3.37.58 and thats with Peaty ripping a 56 something.

Game on!

Last edited 5 months ago by StuffTheSilver
Andy
Reply to  StuffTheSilver
4 months ago

Between Temple and MOC, I think Australia would have the fastest back half by far, so a 58 low split from Williamson might be enough

Andy
Reply to  StuffTheSilver
4 months ago

Williamson just swam 58.80 in the final so I don’t think a 58.2 split would be a big ask. If Temple does a 49s split and MOC swims 51.5 (which isn’t that unlikely given they have 50.2 and 52.0 flat times), the big ask would be whether Kaylee could swim a 57 low in all that wash from the guys

Troyy
Reply to  Andy
4 months ago

Not just in the wash but 30mins after 200 IM final after a brutal few of days of racing.

Andy
Reply to  StuffTheSilver
4 months ago

How did you get to that flat time?

Australia’s flat times so far:

Kaylee McKeown – 57.33
Sam Williamson – 58.80
Matt Temple – 50.25
Mollie O’Callaghan – 52.08

3:39.26

Obviously Kaylee/temple/MOC are likely to set further PBs … but as I said, Kaylee often gets stuck in the wash of the men so it’s unlikely she swims 57 low

StuffTheSilver
Reply to  Andy
4 months ago

Add it up again

Andy
Reply to  Andy
4 months ago

Sorry it’s 3:38.46 but using his 58.95 heats time, I have no idea how you got 3:38.30

Dan tm
Reply to  Andy
4 months ago

I rounded a figure based on Williamson’s expected final result.

Steph
5 months ago

Oh tonight is going to be fun

Anthony Swims Poorly
5 months ago

He is the nicest, funniest, most charming and…well…attractive man! This is well deserved. Let’s see if he can get the Australian record in the final!

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  Anthony Swims Poorly
5 months ago

Is he single?

Asking for a friend.

Deon Badenhorst
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
5 months ago

No I believe he’s dating slovenian national teamer Neza Klancar

Justin Pollard
Reply to  Anthony Swims Poorly
5 months ago

Curious: is it his good looks, charm, kindness, and sense of humor that make him deserving of such a performance? Maybe it’s the work he put in?

yoyomah
Reply to  Justin Pollard
4 months ago

The “well-deserved” sentiment seems to be a different sentiment to the charming comment. I can attest to both having swum with him at vicentre. He’s an absolute legend!

Genevieve Nnaji
5 months ago

I Google image searched Sam Williamson, and this guy is smiling in 99% of the results.

Nono
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
4 months ago

Ellie definitely saw this post 👀

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  Nono
4 months ago

100%

I watched the interview and I was laughing hard.

Swammer Chat
5 months ago

Australian medley relay has a huge potential.

Danny
Reply to  Swammer Chat
5 months ago

If….

Oceanian
Reply to  Swammer Chat
5 months ago

Only the mixed medley right now..

Genevieve Nnaji
Reply to  Swammer Chat
5 months ago

Only if they find a 52 backstroker.

If not, the best they can do is to fight for bronze against Italy and France. USA and China will fight for gold.

commonwombat
Reply to  Genevieve Nnaji
4 months ago

Would throw GBR back into that medal equation with Peaty back in 57s and Morgan swimming 52s on back.

Troyy
Reply to  Swammer Chat
5 months ago

Still has a massive hole in the back leg.

Verram
5 months ago

Shouldn’t we wait for the final to be swum tonight first before talking Paris ?

Laps
5 months ago

Aus got bronze in the men’s medley relay in 2023, which was the first medal since Rio.

petriasfan
Reply to  Laps
5 months ago

I don’t know how this one slipped through the author’s mind when writing the article. Along with the US, we were the only 2 nations to qualify for all 7 relays back at 2023 world championships.

North Sea
Reply to  petriasfan
4 months ago

Didn’t Canada also qualify all 7 relays from the 2023 world championships?

North Sea
Reply to  North Sea
4 months ago

Please ignore my post.

Queens
5 months ago

He slanged!

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