McKeown's Day Of Dashing Drama Ends In Triumph As Short Scares His Best on 3:41 Flat
"I just haven’t done the work I would have usually done with my prep, and that shows in my swimming and in my training, so I’m just using this year to find my feet and get myself back." - Kaylee McKeown
The following is, apart from a few link words and tweaks in the flow, a Swimming Australia press release on day 2 action at Adelaide national Trials for the World Championships. Craig Lord is away celebrating his and his wife's Silver Wedding Anniversary. 🍾🥂
It wasn’t pretty by her own admission but after a testing day in the aquatic office, world record holder Kaylee McKeown shrugged off an overturned disqualification to secure her ticket to Singapore, winning the women’s 50m backstroke.
On an opening day at Australian Trials in Adelaide, highlights included Lani Pallister's ticket to the sub-4min club over 400m free:
Craig Lord
... and a 3:41.03 victory for Sam Short in the 400m freestyle, but the drama focussed on the quadruple Olympic backstroke champion.
McKeown reached out to touch the wall first in 27.33, just ahead of good mate and part-time but world-class backstroker Mollie O’Callaghan (27.39), who was also under qualifying time for World Championships.
McKeown said: “It’s not the first time I’ve been DQ’d, so it’s not something that you really want to practice but it’s good to mentally toughen yourself up and, you know, hopefully prepares me for anything down the track.”
“Tonight just wasn’t my night and I didn’t swim the way that I wanted to. I can throw out all these excuses but at the end of the day, I just haven’t done the work I would have usually done with my prep, and that shows in my swimming and in my training, so I’m just using this year to find my feet and get myself back.
“I’m a competitor. I love competing. I’m not going to turn down an opportunity to get up and race, even if it is late at night. But, yeah, you know, I love backstroke, and I love racing these girls, especially Mollie (O’Callaghan), we have a good time in the marshalling room. So it was nice to have that opportunity and to also ease some of the pressure by qualifying.”
Short sent a clear message that he’s almost back to his world championship best, coming close to the time that won him gold at the 2023 meet.
Short swam a 3:41.03, not far off the 3:40.68 which gave him the 2023 title and it was also the second-fastest time by any man this year, behind German world record holder Lukas Martens (3:39.96, the record set in April):
Craig Lord
Elijah Winnington, the Paris silver medallist and 2022 world champion, was second with a 3:43.99 while Benjamin Goedemans (3:45.57) was also under the qualifying time.
In other results:
Women’s 100m Butterfly:
Alex Perkins (USC Spartans) has become Australia’s premier female butterflyer following the retirement of decorated teammate Emma McKeon.
Perkins celebrated the first day of this meet with a double PB – first in the heats (56.78) and then a 56.42 to win the final.
It was a huge performance for Perkins, making her the 3rd-fastest Australian of all-time in the event behind only McKeon (55.72) and Jessicah Schipper (56.23).
Rackley’s Lily Price continued her progression into the senior ranks with 57.82 ensuring the Dolphins will have two entrants in this event come World Championships in Singapore.
Perkins said:
“I’m really happy with the PB in the morning and the second PB at night. Those times were a long time coming and I’ve been working really hard for, so it’s really nice when it comes together when it matters. I think coming off my first Olympics and building that self belief, working out how to just race my own race a bit more and a change in coach has been really, really good and fresh. Emma’s been at the forefront of this event (100m butterfly) for so long and she’s just so talented, and an amazing role model. It’s sad she’s not here to race anymore, but hopefully we can bring the 100m fly for Australia at the next big meets”.
Price added: “I went to short course last year but this is my first long course Australian team. It feels really exciting. Short course is a great achievement but the Olympics are long course, so everyone looks to make a long course team. So I’m really happy.”
Women’s 200m Individual Medley:
Ella Ramsay was the only woman under the qualifying time in the 200m IM heats but then was joined by Tara Kinder in the final to both touch the wall under qualifying time.
Ramsay’s 2:09.21 made her the first swimmer from the new-look Griffith University club – now with Mel Marshall as head coach – qualify for Worlds in an event that would typically be dominated by McKeown.
McKeown chose not to enter the event at this meet and in her absence Tara Kinder posted a qualifier 2:10.42 to book her ticket to the Lion City, her first senior long course team.
The burgeoning rivalry between Ramsay and Kinder will be on full display at this meet with the pair set to clash again in tomorrow’s 100m breaststroke with the pair going head-to-head in the first event of the morning.
Men’s 200m & 400m Freestyle (Multi-Class):
The pin-dropping moment goes to age swimmer Declan Budd (S14) who is set to claim his Dolphin’s pin with a qualifying swim in the men’s 200m freestyle multi-class.
“It feels like I’ve achieved one of my main goals in life, winning (hopefully) my Dolphins pin. I’m pretty proud of myself. It was my all-time childhood dream,” said 18-year-old Budd.
“Now I’m going to aim for more of my goals, like to try to make a final at the World Champs and secure a medal … and then make my first Paralympic Games in LA.”
The Adelaide pool holds great memories for Budd who at last year’s National Short Course Championships posted a short course world record in the men’s 50m butterfly (S14) that came to a shock to the Knox Pymble athlete and his lifelong coach Rafael Rodrigues.
Budd raced alongside his idol Jack Ireland (S14), who posted a season best and qualifying time earlier in the heats. Hailing from Gladstone and training at UQ, Ireland is looking to achieve the four-peat in Singapore.
In all, five para swimmers put a down payment on the World Para Swimming Championships to be held in Singapore, 21 to 27 September.
It was an all-in gamble for USC Spartans’ Hall (S9) that is only contesting the one event this week but the five-time Paralympian is a veteran of the para-Dolphin team and confidently punched his ticket in the men’s 400m freestyle multi-class heats alongside Paris Paralympian Callum Simpson (S8) and Birmingham Commonwealth Games athlete Harrison Vig (S9) in the finals.
