2024 Australian Olympic Qualifiers
Fasten your seatbelts, everyone: Has there ever been a stronger event at the Olympic Trials than the women's 100-meter freestyle taking place in Australia tonight?
The push to get to the A-final will be an absolute battle with talent like the 2023 world champions. Molly O'Callaghan (52.16), defending Olympic champion Emma McKeon (52.52), a top-five performance this season Meg Harris (52.59), current World Championship bronze medalist Shayna Jack (52.60), four-time Olympian Kate Campbell (53.23), 2015 World Champion Bronte Campbell (53.30), world record holder in the 200m freestyle Arianne Titmuss (53.68), World Junior Champion Olivia Wunsch (53.71), two-time Olympian Brianna Throssell (53.77) is on the psychology sheet. Whatever the lineup, Australia will be the overwhelming favourites to win the women's 4 x 100m freestyle relay in Paris this summer.
Former World Record Holder Zach Stabley-Cook He began the session as the top seed in the men's 200 breaststroke (2:05.95). Joshua Yong Just a few seconds apart (2:08.54), both cleared Swimming Australia's entry time of 2:09.50. Jenna Strauch (2:22.22) And Abbie Harkin (2:23.65) is also under the Australian Olympic record of 2:23.91 in the 200m breaststroke, making her the women’s favourite to break the 200m breaststroke.
In the men's 200 backstroke, Joshua Edwards Smith (1:55.42) Bradley Woodward (1:55.95) boasted a top time that was a few seconds faster than the others, and should clear Australia's Olympic cut of 1:57.28 on Friday.
The men's 1500m freestyle may be Australia's toughest event to field two individual swimmers in, but it's certainly possible. 2023 World Championships bronze medallist Sam Short He was the top seed with a time of 14:37.28. Matthew Galea Next came a time of 14:57.19, just a few seconds outside the qualifying range (14:54.29).
Men's 200m Breaststroke – Qualifying
- World Record – 2:05.48, Qin Haiyang, 2023
- Australian Record – 2:05.95; Zach Stabley-Cook2022
- Oceania Record – 2:05.95; Zach Stabley-Cook2022
- Commonwealth Record – 2:05.95; Zach Stabley-Cook2022
- All-Comers Record – 2:05.95; Zach Stabley-Cook2022
- Swim Australia OQT – 2:09.50
TOP 8:
- Zach Stabley-Cook – 2:08.40
- Joshua Yong – 2:10.66
- Bailey Lero – 2:11.46
- Joshua Collett – 2:11.83
- Finlay Schuster – 2:12.57
- Matthew Wilson – 2:12.85
- Angus Menzies – 2:13.00
- Daniel Cave – 2:14.33
Former World Record Holder Zach Stabley-Cook He earned himself the top seed in the men's 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:08.40, already under Australia's Olympic qualifying mark of 2:09.50. The 25-year-old has a fastest time of 2:05.95 in 2022 and his 2:07.50 in April would rank him sixth in the world this season.
Joshua Yong He finished just a few seconds behind Stubblety Cook in 2:10.66, just one second away from Australia's Olympic qualification spot. The 22-year-old has a personal best of 2:08.54, which he recorded in April.
Bailey Lero (2:11.46) and Joshua Collett (2:11.83) was the only runner to go under 2:12 in the heats.
Stablety Cook wasn't the only former world record holder in the 200m breaststroke heats. Matthew Wilson He advanced to sixth place in 2:12.85, just by a narrow margin. Finlay Schuster (2:12.57). The 25-year-old Wilson lowered the world standard to 2:06.67 at the 2019 World Championships, but only held the record for one day.
Women's 200m Breaststroke – Qualifying
- World Record – 2:17.55, Evgenia Tsikhunova, 2023
- Australian Record – 2:20.54, Raizel Jones, 2006
- Oceania Record – 2:20.54, Raizel Jones, 2006
- Commonwealth Record – 2:18.95, Tatiana Schoenmaker, 2021
- All-Comers Record – 2:20.04, Kanedo Rie, 2016
- Swim Australia OQT – 2:23.91
TOP 8:
- Jenna Strauch – 2:24.83
- Ella Ramsey – 2:25.21
- Matilda Smith – 2:26.95
- Abby Harkin – 2:28.83
- Mikayla Smith – 2:28.99
- Kara Tinder – 2:29.40
- Raedel Smith – 2:30.28
- Zoe Deacon – 2:30.35
Jenna Strauch She recorded the top time of 2 minutes 24.83 seconds in the women's 200m breaststroke preliminaries, just seconds off her personal best of 2 minutes 22.22 seconds for the 2022 World Championships. The 27-year-old reached the wall within one second of Australia's Olympic qualifying time of 2 minutes 23.91 seconds.
Ella Ramsey She qualified for tonight's final in second place in 2:25.21 – within one second of her personal best of 2:24.28 set last December – and the 19-year-old needs to shave a few tenths of a second off tonight's personal best to reach Australia's Olympic quota spot.
Another 19-year-old Matilda SmithShe qualified third in qualifying with a time of 2 minutes 26.95 seconds. Her best time was in April at the Australian Open Championships, when the 26-year-old Abbie HarkinHarkin took fourth place in 2:28.83, well below his 2021 personal best of 2:23.59.
Men's 200 Backstroke – Qualifying
- World Record – 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol, 2009
- Australian Record – 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin, 2015
- Oceania Record – 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin, 2015
- Commonwealth Record – 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin, 2015
- All-Comers Record – 1:53.72, Mitch Larkin, 2015
- Swim Australia OQT – 1:57.28
TOP 8:
- Bradley Woodward – 1:56.91
- Joshua Edwards-Smith – 1:58.14
- Stuart Swinburn – 1:58.48
- Enoch Robb – 1:58.91
- Sevon Lee – 1:59.36
- Marius Boll – 1:59.44
- Ty Hartwell – 1:59.60
- Mitch Larkin – 1:59.93
Bradley Woodward Woodward's 1:56.91 heat in the 200 backstroke was already on pace for Australia's Olympic spot of 1:57.28. The 25-year-old was just over a second off his personal best of 1:55.56, set last December. On Tuesday, Woodward placed second in the 100 backstroke (53.53), just a few tenths of a second off Australia's Olympic spot (53.21).
Joshua Edwards Smith He came within striking distance of the wall in 1:58.14, a few seconds slower than his 2022 personal best (1:55.42), and the 21-year-old needs to shave a few more seconds off that to break Australia's Olympic qualification record.
Stuart Swinburne (1:58.48) Enoch Robb (1:58.91) also went under 1:59 in qualifying this morning, keeping him in line for a top-two finish tonight.
Women's 100m Freestyle Qualifying
- World Record – 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom, 2017
- Australian Record – 51.96; Emma McKeon2021
- Oceania record – 51.96; Emma McKeon2021
- Commonwealth Record – 51.96; Emma McKeon2021
- All Comers Records – 52.06; Kate Campbell2016
- Swim Australia OQT – 53.61
TOP 8:
- Meg Harris – 52.52
- Molly O'Callaghan – 52.57
- Shayna Jack – 52.65
- Bronte Campbell – 52.95
- Olivia Wunsch – 53.30
- Emma McKeon – 53.61
- Brianna Throssell – 53.78
- Mila Jansen – 54.26
Meg Harris She recorded a personal best of 52.52 seconds to lead the women's 100m freestyle heats, one step ahead of the 2023 world champion. Molly O'Callaghan Harris shaved 0.07 seconds off his April personal best and remained fourth fastest in the world this season behind 2024 world champion O'Callaghan (52.27 in April). Marit Steenbergen (52.26), and Siobhan Hoagy (52.02).
Shayna Jack She skated down the wall in 52.65 seconds, just shy of her 2023 World Championship personal best of 52.28 seconds. Bronte Campbell She placed fourth with a score of 52.95, but her sister Kate CampbellHe finished in 9th place with a time of 54.27 seconds, missing out on a place in the A final by just 0.1/100th of a second.
World Junior Champion Olivia Wunsch (53.30) over the reigning Olympic champion Emma McKeon (53.61) and Brianna Throssell Wunsch's time (53.78) was the fifth-fastest of the qualifying rounds, shaving almost half a second off her personal best of 53.71, set last September. Mila JansenThe 17-year-old, who placed second to Wunsch at last September's World Junior Championships, claimed the final spot in the A final with a time of 54.26 seconds.
World Record Holder in the 200 Freestyle Arianne Titmuss He finished in 10th place with a time of 54.37, missing out on advancing to the A final.
Men's 1500m Freestyle – Qualification (Slow Heats)
- World Record – 14:31.02, Sun Yang, 2012
- Australian Record – 14:34.56, Grant Hackett, 2001
- Oceania Record – 14:34.56, Grant Hackett, 2001
- Commonwealth Record – 14:34.56, Grant Hackett, 2001
- All-Comers Record – 14:39.54, Mack Horton, 2016
- Swim Australia OQT – 14:54.29
TOP 8:
- Alessio Macri – 15:40.84
- Tex Cross – 15:40.92
- James Smith – 15:42.94
- Noah Kamprad – 15:53.76
- Nolan Carell – 16:08.47
- Benjamin Weinman – 16:13.20
- Tommy Lane – 16:17.23
- Corben Powell – 16:18.57
The slow heat of the men's 1500m freestyle was closely fought until the end. Alessio Macri (15:40.84) Barely passed Tex Cloth The 18-year-old Macri finished in a time of 15:40.92 (15:40.92), shaving nearly nine seconds off his seed time of 15:49.14.
James Smith (15:42.94) and Noah Kamprad (15:53.76) was the only other swimmer to go under 16 minutes. The Olympic cut for Australia is 14:54.29.
Tonight's favorite, 2023 World Championships bronze medalist Sam Shortappears to have withdrawn from the event.
