McKeown Shines at Australian Swimming Trials



Teenager Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans) blew the top of the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre on night two of the Australian Swimming Trials when she claimed the world record in the Women’s 100m Backstroke.

 

McKeown went out flying in 28.10 and set the pool alight touching in 57.45 ahead of Griffith University’s Emily Seebohm (58.59), who booked herself a spot at her fourth Olympics – equalling legend, Leisel Jones’ record.

 

An emotional McKeown said it was a dream come true and thanked her coach Chris Mooney.

 

“We’ve been revving up the whole year so to finally get myself onto that Olympic team is a dream come true, it really is,” she said.

 

“He did say something to me before warm up, he said he believed in me. We knew it was go time. He knew something special was about to happen.”

 

World Champion Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western) went out fast in the Women’s 400m Freestyle – setting world record pace for much of the race. Breaking her own Commonwealth Record, Titmus powered home in 3:56.90. Joining her on the team will be Rio Olympian Tamsin Cook (4:04.10) who came home comfortably under the time required of 4:07.10.

 

Titmus said she surprised herself with the record-breaking swim.

 

“I honestly didn’t think I could go that fast. The way I’ve been training, I would have been happy to get to my PB and hope I could squeeze a little bit more out in Tokyo,” she said.

 

“It goes to show the adrenalin, the pressure and what it brings.”

 

After posting a world record time in this morning’s heat in the Men’s 100m Butterfly Multi-Class, Nudgee College’s William Martin (S9) fell only 0.03 off matching his outstanding performance in the final. Blitzing home in 57.76 to once again go under the qualifying time of 1:01.74. He was joined by fellow qualifier, Timothy Hodge (S9) from Auburn who clocked 1:00.76.

 

Martin continued his strong form into the Men’s 50m Freestyle Multi-Class, swimming under the S9 qualifying time of 25.91 – touching in 25.38. Looking to secure his place on his second Paralympic team was PLC Aquatic, Vic’s Timothy Disken (S9) who went 25.80.

 

The field was stacked in the Men’s 200m Freestyle final with two spots up for grabs plus relay positions. In a race that saw four swimmers swim under the qualifying time – hometown favourite Kyle Chalmers (Marion) grabbed the first spot powering home in 1:45.48 with Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western) claiming the second spot in 1:45.55.

 

Rio Paralympian Paige Leonhardt (S14) hit the qualifying mark in the Women’s 100m Butterfly Multi-Class in a new Australian record, with the University of Queensland swimmer first to the wall in 1:06.21. Looking for her first Paralympic berth was Bay and Basin’s Jasmine Greenwood (S10) who touched in 1:08.17 under the qualifying time for her class of 1:08.50.

 

Looking to go under 1:06.97, Chelsea Hodges (Southport Olympic) looks set to book a seat on the plane to Tokyo after she took the top spot in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke. First to the wall in 1:05.99, she was joined by Dolphin leader Jess Hansen (Cruiz Swim) who claimed the second spot in 1:06.69.

 

Katja Dedekind (S13) from USC Spartans and Chandler’s Rachael Watson (S4) both clocked times for qualification consideration in the Women’s 50m Freestyle Multi-Class – touching in 26.80 and 39.73, respectively. Dedekind's time also saw her break her own Australian record which she set in April on the Gold Coast.

 

Grant ‘Scooter’ Patterson (SB2) went head-to-head with his best mate Ahmed Kelly (SB3) but it was Patterson who was able to grab a time for qualification – 1:01.66.

 

St Peters Western’s Mitch Larkin was seeking a third Olympic appearance when he took to the water in Men’s 100m Backstroke. Hitting the mark required of 53.40 right on the money – Larkin looks to have booked that spot to his third Games.

 

All the action from the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre kicks off again tomorrow, with heats beginning at 10am local time. You can all the action live on Amazon Prime Video from 9:50am local time.

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