Australia’s Matt Targett showed up for the final day in Adelaide, just to get a little taste, and upset James Magnussen’s part in the 50 free prelims with a 22.27 to take the top seed. That’s a new South Australian All-Comers Record.
That’s not to say that Magnussen didn’t swim well in the prelim. He’s not a 50-freestyler, but uses it as a big training tool because he knows he likely has to go out better than the 22.94 he did at Worlds to hold off the likes of Cesar Cielo and Nathan Adrian in London. Matthew Abood took the 3rd seed in 22.77, while former World Record holder in the event Eamon Sullivan failed to final in 22.92.
Targett also took the top seed in the 50 fly in 23.76. That’s an outstanding prelims swim.
Making the prelim (in the junior division) was 13-year old Kyle Chalmers of Norwood in South Australia. He swam a 24.50, which is just over a tenth away from the Australian 13 & under National Age Record.
Emily Seebohm took the top seed in the 100 back in 1:00.56. She cruised in this prelims, and could dip under the minute barrier in finals.
In the 100, Seebohm took the 2nd seed in 55.98. Veteran Kelly Stubbins took the top seed there in 55.35. Blair Evans was 3rd in 56.49.
Evans also swam the 200 IM prelim very well in 2:14.45. This event suddenly has a lot of intrigue in the final, after Evans’ 400 swim. This 200 IM was the best of her career, and if the rest of the meet is any indicator, she’s got a lot better in her for finals.
Targett 21.98; M Abood 22.15 and Magnussen 22.41 in the final. Targett is looking to be in serious form this year.
I think Sullivan is going to struggle to make top 2 at trials. Ash Callus also went a 22.7 swim at another meet this weekend. What odds 3 out of 4 2000 400 Free relay gold medalists make the team?
Also Chalmers broke the 13 yr record in the final 24.32 apparently he only moved to Adelaide a few months ago from the country. He swam a few weeks ago at the age champs 53 sec 100 free and 57 sec 100 fly second fastest age swims recorded in Aust which lopped off seconds from his times last yr.