Seebohm Joins Larkin in 100 Backstroke Australian Record Party at SC Nationals

Mitch Larkin continued on his tear on day two of the 2014 Australian Short Course Championships in Adelaide, and broke his own National Record from the semi-finals en route to a 49.25 in finals. His time in the semis was a 49.44, and the World Record he’s still chasing is 48.94.

That secures Larkin’s spot for the Short Course World Championships and gives him another wave of confidence as the Olympic cycle really begins to build. Going out, Larkins was almost identical to his semi-finals swim, but in the last 50 meters, he gave just a little more gas in this final for the improvement.

The old National Record holder and defending National Champion Bobby Hurley was biding his energy through the first two rounds, and in the finals he burst through to take the 2nd spot in 50.20 – over a full second ahead of Ash Delaney, and good enough to lock up the second spot in the 100 back for the Short Course world Championships.

Ben Treffers, the country’s second-best in long course this year, was only 5th here in 52.29.

He wasn’t the only backstroke record-breaker on this day, as his female counterpart (and now Short Course Worlds teammate) Emily Seebohm swam a 55.47 to crush her own National Record of 56.58 set in 2010. It also broke the Commonwealth Record set in 2009 by South Africa’s Chanelle van Wyk in 56.56.

Seebohm new she’d have to improve to challenge 20-year old upstart Madison Wilson, who herself almost broke the record in the semi-finals to be the top qualifier in this final, and she did just that, coming within two-tenths of Shiho Sakai’s 55.23 World Record.

Wilson added time from the earlier round, but still was able to earn her spot for Doha with a 56.97 in 2nd. Hayley Baker was 3rd in 57.45.

Full, live meet results available here.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Australia has renewed its commitment to short course worlds, at least as a federation with many top swimmers absent in Adelaide this week. The team will take the top two swimmers in each Olympic distance from this week’s meet, presuming they make the qualifying times seen on the last page here. Assuming there’s room, and the medley relays are completed, then the 3rd and 4th best 100 and 200 freestylers go as well.

The standards are tough, but reasonable, for a country at the level of Australia to make the investment to send its athletes around the world.

For example, while the selection is made based on the A-Final, and the A-final only, Larkin is easily under it, and Treffers and Delaney are only about a second away of the 51.06 required for qualification.

Other Individual Event Finals

Men’s 400 IM – FINAL

There wasn’t much excitement in racing for the title in this men’s 400 IM, as 24-year old Nunawading swimmer Travis Mahoney separated himself early in the race and didn’t look back into a 4:04.96 title-defense swim. That’s four seconds better than the 4:09.1 with which he won this title in 2013 and approached the 16-year old All-Comers’ record in the event.

The battle for 2nd was a little more interesting through the backstroke leg, but teenager Jared Gilliland pulled away on the breaststroke to take the second spot in ease with a 4:08.26.

Tomas Elliott from Southport was 3rd in 4:11.17, and Jack Gerrard was 4th in 4:14.47.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – FINAL

The swimming stayed hot in Adelaide in the second final, where once again the top two swimmers were under the qualifying standard for Short Course Worlds. Through two days, all but two finals have qualified the maximum through to Worlds, though this race was a little tight. Jake Packard from Indooroopily won in 57.92, which is a lifetime best and moves him up to 3rd on the all-time Australian rankings.

In second-place in a new look Australian breaststroke group was Tommy Sucipto, who just snuck .02 under the standard with a 58.33. Packard and Sucipto are 20 and 19, respecitvely, and with Christian Sprenger’s future uncertain with ongoing health issues, the Aussies will be happy to have two swimmers gaining experience at a mid-pressure meet like Short Course Worlds.

Men’s 100 Fly – FINAL

After the women’s 200 fly on Wednesday, this men’s 100 fly was the second race that didn’t have two qualifiers – and at that, it almost didn’t have one qualifier. David Morgan tied, to the hundreth, the marker for Doha to earn his spot, but Tommasso D’Orsogna, just .03 seconds back in 50.80, missed and will still be looking for his Worlds qualification.

Perhaps the most disappointing result in this race is that the defending National Champion Nathaniel Romeo added more than half-a-second from his victry last year to finish just 6th in this final in 51.30.

Women’s 800 Free – FINAL

Brianna Throssell became the first swimmer to double-up for Worlds with a very solid 8:16.19 to win. Australia hasn’t medaled in this event at Short Course Worlds since 2008, and for that matter since 1994 in long course. Youth, though, is bringing depth, and behind the 18-year old Throssell was 21-year old Jessica Ashwood from the Chandler Swim Club in 8:16.77. The two were back-and-forth for the entire race, and while Ashwood made her closing move first, Throssell made hers best for the narrow victory. Both swimmers were under the qualifying standard for Short Course Worlds.

Katie Goldman was 3rd in 8:19.44 and Leah Neale was 4th in 8:27.91.

Women’s 50 Breast – FINAL – Non Qualifier

While the women’s 50 breaststroke isn’t a qualifying event to Short Course Worlds, that wasn’t obvious by the efforts put forth in a battle for the national title. Leiston Pickett and Georgia Bohl came down to a fingernail, but it was Pickeet in 30.06 who topped the 17-year old Bohl in 30.19 for the title.

The top 6 swimmers all touched within seven-tenths of a second of each other.

Tentative Team For Doha

Below, we’ve listed those who have hit qualifying standards, though nobody’s invitation is official until swimmers start to double-up on events.

The men’s roster is starting to fill up with nine qualifiers through 10 events, while the women have a much more modest six qualifiers through four events. There’s three more Worlds-qualifying events for the women on Friday, however, so expect their roster to lurch forward (or perhaps not) then.

Qualifying-standard swims, Top 2

Men

1. Cameron McEvoy, PBC: 200 free – 1:43.09
2. David McKeon, Chandler: 200 free – 1:43.43
3. Mitch Larkin, St. Peter’s Western: 100 back – 49.25
4. Bobby Hurley, Trinity Grammar: 100 back – 50.20
5. Travis Mahoney, Nunawading: 400 IM – 4:04.96
6. Jared Gilliland, Nudgee Brothers: 400 IM – 4:08.26
7. Jake Packard, Indooroopily: 100 breast – 57.92
8. Tommy Sucipto, Leasurepark Lazers: 100 breast – 58.33
9. David Morgan, TSS Aquatic: 100 fly – 50.77

Women

1. Brianna Throssell, Perth City: 200 fly – 2:04.73, 800 free – 8:16.19
2. Keryn McMaster, Waterworx: 400 IM – 4:29.24
3. Ellen Fullerton, Nudgee Brothers: 400 IM – 4:31.15
4. Emily Seebohm, Nudgee Brothers: 100 back – 55.47
5. Madison Wilson, St. Peter’s Western: 100 back – 56.97
6. Jessica Ashwood, Chandler Swim Club: 800 free – 8:16.77

Potential Relay swimmers, if there’s room

1. Daniel Smith, Miami: 200 free – 1:43.50
2. Kurt Herzog, Southport: 200 free – 1:43.58

Semi-Finals and Relays

• Emma McKeon, who still hasn’t swum a qualifying final at this meet, continued her warm-up as the top qualifier in the 50 fly in 26.00. Brittany Elmslie (26.06) and Marieke D’Cruz (26.22) sit right on her tail, though everyone in this A-final down to Yolane Kukla (27.00) has a chance.
• With no James Magnussen in this race, nor D’Orsogna or Eamon Sullivan for that matter, Cameron McEvoy’s route to a 50 free title has become much easier. he went a 21.54 in the semi-finals to take the top seed into finals. While certainly Australian fans will be rooting for McEvoy as their best remaining chance in this event in Doha, plenty of excitement will be shed upon the giant 16-year old Kyle Chalmers, who improved half-a-second from prelims to take the 2nd seed in 21.75. This is another race, though, where nobody is safe, as swimmers like Matthew Abood (21.82), Andrew Abood (21.96), Junior World Champion Luke Percy (22.14), and the swimmer with the second-best time of this meet so far Te Haumi Maxwell (21.86) lurking.
• After her fantastic backstroke swim, Emily Seebohm came back with a more casual 100 IM, but was still the top qualifier in 1:00.61. Expect a little better from her in finals, where this race will come after the 200 back final, but maybe just enough of an effort to take the title. Seebohm was the top qualifier in 1:00.61 on Thursday, followed by Kotuko Ngawati (1:00.75) and Hayley Baker (1:00.89). Ngawati is capable of chasing Seebohm under a minute, so this race might come down to a game of who values a national title more than conserving energy.