McKeown 2:06.99 Boils Rice’s 2009 Shiny Suit 200IM Mark & Winnington/Short Go 3:41 In 400
Kaylee McKeown‘s challenge to America’s prevailing medley might gets ever more serious: in 2:06.99 at the Australian Open Championships on the Gold Coast today, she took down the 2009 national record set in a shiny suit by 2008 double medley Olympic champion Stephanie Rice.
The Day 1 crowd was also entertained by a pair of 3:41s from Elijah Winnington, 3:41.41 and Sam Short, 3:41.64 in the 400m freestyle, the third World champion in as many years, Kim Woomin, third in 3:45.
Short is 3:40.68 swimmer, Winnington’s high tide a 3:41.22, their swiftest two of the fastest three efforts among charges still racing, the third 2020ne Olympic champion Ahmed Hafnaoui, of Tunisia, a 3:40.70 the time he clocked for silver 0.02sec shy of Short. More on the Gold Coast race below.
McKeown, Mean Medley Machine In Progress
After a 2:08.66 in heats, McKeown, the 2020ne double Olympic and 2023 triple World backstroke champion, thundered through a set of gauntlet-throwing splits:
27.84; 59.94 (32.10) 1:37.42 (37.48) 2:06.99 (29.57)
Ella Ramsay, on 2:10.71, and Isabella Boyd, 2:13.22, followed.
McKeown, 22, entered the final with a career high of 2:07.19, set at the Sydney Open a year ago. She has long had Rice‘s 2:07.03 from the Rome 2009 shiny suits circus in her sights but circumstances and schedules have stood in the way, many of the backstroke ace’s efforts caged in less-than-ideal situations, including a disqualification in semis at Fukuoka 2023 worlds, a decision she had something to say about in words and then deeds in the fray on backstroke.
Here’s where her new PB fits in the all-time Vortex:
2:06.12 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2015
2:06.15 – Ariarne Kukors (USA) 2009 (shiny)
2:06.88 – Siobhan O’Connor (GBR) 2016
2:06.89 – Summer McIntosh (CAN) 2023
2:06.99 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS) 2024
O’Callaghan On 52.27 As Australia’s 4x100m Chase Quickens Towards Olympic Trials
The challenge of Mollie O’Callaghan gets sharper and sharper, too. On 52.94 in Gold Coast heats of the 100m free adrift a 52.60 career best from Meg Harris, the pioneering double World 100-200m free champion of 2023 then sent smoke off the water in the final with a 52.27 blast ahead of Harris’ new high, 52.59.
In third place was Olympic champion Emma McKeon, on 53.09, Shayna Jack next, on 53.20, then Brianna Throssell, 53.77, and Cate Campbell, 53.91, after 53.86 in heats. Bronte Campbell withdrew from the meet after sustaining a calf injury.
The heat is on for Olympic tickets to the most competitive domestic women’s sprint freestyle relay in history.
The last women’s final of the day saw Ariarne Titmus clock 8:17.80 ahead of an 8:19.38 from Lani Pallister in the 800m freestyle. Eve Thomas, fresh from qualifying for the Paris Olympics at New Zealand Championships (see below) in 8:22, took third in 8:25.71, with Kiah Melverton on 8:26.63.
Winnington and Short Clash In Speedy 400 Test On The Cusp On 3:40 Pace
The highlight of the men’s program was a 3:41.41 to 3:41.64 showstopper topped by Elijah Winnington, 2022 World champion, over Sam Short, 2023 World champion, after a neck-and-neck dress rehearsal for Olympic trials and Paris 2024 beyond. Third went to Kim Woomin, the 2024 World champion from Korea.
It was only two days ago that Short dismissed a possible return to the fray by the disgraced Sun Yang* by suggesting that even if the 2016 Olympic champion were able to make it back in time for Paris, he would not be able to cope with the speed building in the 400m ranks.
Sun is unlikely to make it back (see below in this Vortex) but Short’s assessment is looking prophetic on pace.
Here’s how it went today, Winnington shadowing from 200m until the last, ferocious, lap:
25.56; 53.43 (27.87) 1:21.54 (28.11) 1:49.79 (28.25) 2:18.24 (28.45) 2:46.66 (28.42) 3:14.65 (27.99) 3:41.41 (26.76) Winnington
25.86; 53.63 (27.77) 1:21.62 (27.99) 1:49.44 (27.82) 2:17.65 (28.21) 2:45.77 (28.12) 3:14.08 (28.31) 3:41.64 (27.56) Short
Third place went to Korea’s Kim Woomin in 3:45.12, his world-title-winning effort of 3:42.71 having confined 2022 champion Winnington to silver in 3:42.86 in February this year.
In the first final of day 1, Olympic 200m breaststroke champion Zac Stubblety-Cook clocked 59.85 in the 100m ahead of Joshua Young and Japan’s Ippei Watanabe, on 1:00.16 and 1:00.46 respectively.
Olympic 100 free champion of 2016 and silver medallist in 2020ne, Kyle Chalmers took the 50m ‘fly in 23.10 ahead of Ben Armbruster, 23.35, and Cameron McEvoy, 23.52.
Korea’s Lee Juho took the men’s 200m backstroke in 1:56.97 ahead of Brad Woodward, on 1:57.67, third place to Josh Edwards-Smith in 1:59.08. There was also a win for Jena Strauch, on 31.04 in the 50m breaststroke.
Day 1 of 4 came to a close with the men’s 4x200m free club relays, the standout swim a 1:45.89 from Kai Taylor leading St Peters Western to a 7:21 win.