2024 Australian Olympic Qualifiers
All Tournament Qualifier Heat Sheets
Good morning to all Australians. Good evening to all Americans. And [Insert Appropriate Time of Day here] To all our readers around the world.
The 2024 Australian Swimming Championships are fast approaching. After winning nine gold medals and 21 overall in Tokyo, Team Australia will be looking to build on their success at the 2023 World Championships. In Fukuoka, Team Australia came out on top of the medal tally, winning 13 gold medals and 25 overall.
Before we get to the preview of the first session, it's worth noting that Swim Australia's selection procedures may apply a different qualifying time to the Olympic qualifying time (colloquially known as the “A-cut”). Countries are free to impose stricter standards, and Swim Australia has chosen to use a time “equivalent to an 8th place qualifying time” at the 2023 World Championships as the standard, as long as it is no slower than the OQT.
For example, the Swimming Australia standard for the women's 100 fly is 57.17, but the OQT is 57.97. However, the Swimming Australia standard for the men's 100 breaststroke is 59.49, which is the same as the OQT because the 8th place finalist at the 2023 World Championships time (59.50) was slower. So without further ado, let's get to the meet.
The first heat was the 400m freestyle, giving swimming fans a glimpse of the power of the stars. As soon as the women's competition started, Arianne TitmussIn the 400 metres, the fastest woman ever to run the event and an Olympic gold medallist, who set a world record of 3:55.38 in Fukuoka, is the top seed. There are only a few runners who can run under four minutes, but the pressure is on. Lani Pallister My entry time was 4:01.75 and I put myself in a good lane tonight. Kia Melverton and Leah Neal.
The 2023 women's gold medallist will kick off the session and the men's gold medallist will close the session. Sam ShortShort, who won an emotional gold medal in Fukuoka, is the top seed in the 400m and, as a 2024 world silver medalist, will be a target after winning in 3:40.68. Elijah Winnington With a time of 3:41.22, they aren't too far behind in seeding. Short and Winnington have a comfortable lead over the others and could play it safe or take a shot at qualifying. Lucas Martens' The world's best time is 3 minutes 40.33 seconds. The German achieved this time in April this year, surpassing the short program to become the fastest athlete in the world in this event. Sun Yang's performance in 2012.
In between the two 400m events are the women's 200m individual medley, the men's 100m breaststroke and the women's 100m butterfly, three events with no shortage of talent.
The 200-meter individual medley brings even more star power. Kayleigh McKeon The Olympic campaign is underway. McKeon, who won the backstroke in Tokyo, is aiming to win the 200m individual medley at the 2023 World Championships after being controversially disqualified. McKeon, who competed in an Australian record of 2:06.99, will take to the centre lane this morning. Chasing him will be Jenna ForresterForrester, who won bronze in the 400m individual medley in Fukuoka, also had a time below the Olympic qualifying time.
The men's 100m breaststroke is unusual in that it is the only event on this morning's schedule where no athlete has entered in a time under Swim Australia's qualifying time of 59.49 seconds. Zach Stabley-Cook and Samuel Williamson They are the closest in the standings, but if you want to qualify individually, you'll have a tough fight. There's a good chance the winner will be selected regardless of the medley relay time, but nothing is certain. ZSC is looking to shave 0.02 seconds off their seeded time, while Williamson is looking to shave just under half a second off his time, but Joshua YongHe trails Williamson by just 0.01 points.
Don't be surprised if you see the American flag painted on the women's 100m butterfly. This event is open to foreign athletes (known as visitors, whose entries are tagged with a “(V)”), so athletes from a variety of countries will be competing. Linnea Mack Japanese star athlete competing in the 100m butterfly Rikako IkeeIkee is seeded third and is hoping for a strong last-minute race before the Paris Olympics. Emma McKeon and Brianna ThrossellBoth swimmers have been mainstays in Australia's butterfly swim for the past decade, with 11-time Olympic medallist McKeown seeking his third appearance. Both entered well below the standard of 57.11. Alexandria Perkins and Lily Price I'm hoping for an upset.
Between these events will be qualifying rounds for the women's and men's multi-class 200 and 400 freestyle. Swimmers competing in these events will aim to make the Paralympic team, but due to the points and allocation system, their status may only be known at the end of the meet.
Women's 400m Freestyle – Qualification
- World Record – 3:55.38; Arianne Titmuss (Australia), 2023
- Australian Record – 3:55.38; Arianne Titmuss2023
- Swim Australia OQT – 4:04.98
- 2021 Time to Final – 4:08.30, Mikayla Messer
Top 8
- Arianne Titmuss (STPET) – 4:01.57
- Lani Pallister (GUSC) – 4:06.69
- Jamie Perkins (STPET) – 4:09.95
- Kia Melverton (STPET) – 4:10.79
- Amelia Weber (STPET) – 4:12.82
- Leah Neal (Chand) – 4:14.48
- Rebecca Jacobson (BGRAM) – 4:14.55
- Molly Walker (SOPE) – 4:16.88
The Australian trials start with circle-seeded heats and then get slower and slower. Arianne Titmuss Titmuss, competing in her first race, has withdrawn from the 2024 World Championships in Doha but started fast, finishing just off world record pace at 100m in 56.45s. The world record holder kept up the pace until the halfway point, when she hit the wall in 1:56.97, at which point she had a sizeable lead over her rivals. She slowed a bit in the second half but still produced a strong performance in 4:01.57.
Second Heat Saw Lani Pallistera three-time world championship medalist, was the second-fastest of the morning. Pallister, who will win gold in this event at the 2022 World Championships in Melbourne, clocked a time of 4:06.69. It was a much slower morning for everyone else outside of the top two. Eighth place was 4:16.88, up from 4:08.30 three years ago.
Women's 200m Individual Medley – Qualifying
- World Record – 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (Hungary), 2015
- Australian Record – 2:06.99; Kayleigh McKeon2024
- Swim Australia OQT – 2:10.62
- 2021 Time to Final – 2:16.37, Blair Evans
Top 8
- Ella Ramsey (CHAND) -2:10.96
- Kayleigh McKeon (GUSC) – 2:11.98
- Jenna Forrester (STPET) – 2:13.44
Kayleigh McKeon McKeown used her powerful breaststroke leg to pull away from her nearest competitor. The 100m and 200m backstroke world record holder cruised effortlessly to the wall in 2:11.98. McKeown, who recently set an Australian record of 2:06.99, was disqualified in the 200m individual medley last summer but swam a clean one this morning. Coming second to McKeown in her heat was Kayla Hardy, who finished ahead of Abbie Harkin.
Isabel Boyd led the second heat and reached the halfway wall in 1:04.90, beating Jenna Forrester by 0.48. Forrester, who won bronze in the 400m individual medley in Fukuoka, extended her lead in the second half to finish in 2:13.44. Boyd held an early lead and tried to keep up with Forrester, but lost steam late to finish in 2:14.37.
Ella Ramsay took the lead from the start in the final circle-seeded heat. The 19-year-old Ramsay hit the wall in 2:10.96, just shy of her personal best of 2:10.71. With her heat win, Ramsay overtook McKeown to become the fastest swimmer in this morning's heat and will likely be the top seed for this evening's final, with one heat to go.
Men's Multiclass 200 Freestyle – Qualifying
Top 8
- Jack Ireland S14 (UQSC) – 1:54.
- Liam Schurter S14 (USCS) –
Jack Ireland had a strong swim in his first swim of the week. The S14 swimmer got off to a fast start and kept swimming tenacity to finish in 1 minute 54 seconds. Ireland earned 954 points, which was the qualifying standard, and if he swims again tonight he will be named in the running to make the Paralympic team. Liam Schurter placed second in his event with 891 points.
Women's Multiclass 200m Freestyle – Qualification
Top 8
- Ruby Storm S14 (Stand) -2:13.09
- Madeline McTernan S14 (SHARK) – 2:15.75
- Jade Lucy S14 (SSST) – 2:20.20
Similarly to the men's race, Tokyo native and two-time Paralympic medalist Ruby Storm swam strongly to finish in 2:13.09. Though it was short of her personal best or qualifying time, her strong swim earned her 772 points. Madeline McTernan was a constant presence behind Storm throughout the 200m, finishing just behind her.
Men's 100m Breaststroke – Qualification
- World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (Great Britain), 2019
- Australian Record – 58.58, Brenton Rickard (Australia), 2009
- Swim Australia OQT – 59.49
- 2021 Time to Final – 1:01.84, James McKechnie
Top 8
Women's 100m Butterfly – Qualification
- World Record – 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden), 2016
- Australian Record – 55.72; Emma McKeon2021
- Swim Australia OQT – 57.17
- 2021 Time to Final – 59.80, Elizabeth Dekkers
Top 8
Men's Multiclass 400 Freestyle – Qualifying
Top 8
Women's Multiclass 400m Freestyle – Qualification
Top 8
Men's 400m Freestyle – Qualification
- World Record – 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann (Germany), 2009
- Australian Record – 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe, 2002
- Swim Australia OQT – 3:45.43
- 2021 Time to Final – 3:53.24, Silas Harris
Top 8
