Max Giuliani Grabs The Paris 200 Ticket As Strauch & Cooper Line Up For Olympic Relay Action
In the context of Australian and World swim history and what other contenders for the Paris Olympics 4x200m podium have been laying down of late, Dolphin 200m prospects are relatively meagre – but none of that mattered to Max Giuliani today as he grabbed a sole solo ticket to the Games in 1:45.83.
Day 2 at the 2024 Australian Trials in Brisbane left the 2001 Australian Record of 1:44.06 standing tall to Ian Thorpe yet. The target for Giuliani, coached by Richard Scarce at Miami, was 1:45.97. Job done.
More on Tasmania’s Max from Funky Trunks …
Giuliani On His Epic Journey From Tasmania To Miami On The Gold Coast & Paris Beyond – by Nicole Jeffery at Trials in Brisbane
Next home was Tommy Neill, 1:46.02, then 400m champion of yesterday Elijah Winnington, 1:46.08 (who raced a faster heat, of 1:45.95, this morning, while the club of those in line for 4x200m action in Paris stretched to Kai Taylor, 1:46.26, Zac Incerti, 1:46.83, and Alex Graham, 1:47.11.
Paris 4x200m free gold is likely to take an average of 1:44 splits on all cylinders.
Brisbane Results in full / Event Page
In other Paris Prospect finals:
Women’s 100m Backstroke: Strauch Pips Ramsay By 0.04sec
Jenna Strauch is in line for the breaststroke leg in the Dolphin defence of the 4x100m medley crown at the Paris Olympics after a narrow 0.04sec win in a duel with Ella Ramsay, the top time of 1:06.90 well shy of Australia’s 1:06.31 cut for the solo swim at the Games.
Ramsay is already on the squad, after a 2:09 in the 200m medley that contributed to a day 1 canvas of three second-generation Olympians making the squad for Paris. Third place went to 15-year-old Sienna Toohey in a lifetime best of 1:07.01, just 0.11sec shy of what might have been an Olympic debut.
Toohey’s best had been 1:07.72 from Age nationals this year. Now she’s overtaken the age pace of retired Olympic champion Leisel Jones, who clocked 1:07.49 in her youth almost 24 years ago.
Strauch, 27 and based at Miami, would be delighted to find herself selected for Paris action after a knee injury wiped out her championship season last year. Out in 31.74, she nailed the win on the way home, a 35.16 overhauling young Toohey, who took off in 31.01, a turning time the time inside her own Aussie age record of 31.34 for the straight 50m, set in March at the NSW State Championships.
Men’s 100m backstroke – Isaac Cooper In Line For Medley Relay Duty
It was the same story in the men’s 100 back: no-one inside the Paris cut, of 53.21. Isaac Cooper, of St. Andrews, grabbed gold in 53.46, 0.03sec shy of his lifetime best but 0.07sec ahead of Bradley Woodward (53.53), for first claim to the medley relay berth. Third home was 19-year-old Enoch Robb, in 54.14.
In fourth place was former World champion and Olympic silver medallist Mitch Larkin, 30 and still national record holder, his 54.22 a fine stab at trying to get to a fourth Olympics, particularly after the physical challenges he’s endured in recent times – but Paris has proved a stroke too far.
Paralympic Finals – Gallagher Edges Crothers & A Win For Patterson
S10 athlete Tom Gallagher edged Rowan Crothers in thrilling para-sprint – 23.50 to 23.91 while Grant “Scooter” Patterson clocked 1:04.89 in SB2 50m breaststroke.
Brisbane Results in full / Event Page
Gallery: All photos b y Delly Carr, courtesy of Swimming Australia
