Toohey, 16, To Make Dolphins Debut As McKeown & Perkins Pile Up Singapore Tickets
"I first met her (Liesel Jones) last year at Olympic trials on the final night. And then after Nationals this year, she sent me a video the night after I broke her 100m (breaststroke) record, just congratulating me. It honestly made my week." Sienna Toohey
The following is 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. 🍾🥂
Let’s hear it for the girls.
Night two of the Australian Swimming Trials saw 16-year-old Sienna Toohey break through and cement senior Dolphins selection; Para star Lex Leary go within 0.01 sec of her own world record; Kaylee McKeown double down with her second World Championship qualifier and Alex Perkins continue her career-best form.
But the head turning performance of teen sensation Toohey in the women’s 100m breaststroke was the evening’s fairytale: her raw tears of shock and emotion from lane six equally matched by her mum Simone’s proud and pragmatic response: “We’ll have to make plans”.
Stunning performances at April’s National Age Championships had Toohey mentioned as a potential bolter for the World Championships in Singapore later this year, particularly after her 1:07.04 in the girls’ 100m breaststroke broke Dolphins’ great Leisel Jones’ 23-year-old national age record (1:07.31).
But tonight’s win in the 100m breaststroke was a blistering 1:06.55, a personal best by almost half a second that saw her touch ahead of Ella Ramsay (1:06.86) with Sienna Harben third (1:07.02).
Sienna Toohey Quotes:
“I’m definitely very, very happy with myself. Missing out on the Olympic team last year … was definitely something that I really wanted to be a part of, just watching it, and Ella, obviously being on it, all of these people being my idols. Now I get to be on the team. So I’m very happy,” she said.
“I’ve been doing very hard training more than what I’ve ever done before. So I’m very happy that it’s paid off with a PB. I really wanted to make the national team and I knew that if I didn’t make it in the 100m, I always had the 50m tomorrow. But I’m definitely happy that I’ve done it now. I started swimming because I wanted to play water polo but my parents told me that I couldn’t do water polo if I didn’t swim. So I started swimming for that reason, and then my brother started to get really good at it when I’d watch him at State championships. And then I was like, hang on, this might be something that I want to do. So then I got to the point where I had to choose between swimming and water polo. Obviously I chose swimming and it was the right choice.
“I first met her (Liesel Jones) last year at Olympic trials on the final night. And then after Nationals this year, she sent me a video the night after I broke her 100m (breaststroke) record, just congratulating me. It honestly made my week. It meant a lot. Just getting something personalised from her and her just reaching out and telling me to keep going and that things can happen when you’re at a young age, it’s definitely inspiring.”
In other races:
Women’s 100m back: McKeown claimed the 100m backstroke – her 57.71 world-class time in the top-three fastest times swum this year while Mollie O’Callaghan (58.85) also picked up a World Championships spot although it is yet to be seen whether she will race this event given her hectic program.
But even the world record holder was impressed with tonight’s breakout star: “I was 16 when I made my first team, and it really taught me a lot being with the older guys. And I’m excited to see young swimmers coming through the ranks. I think the more experience that they can get leading into LA, we have a really good chance of doing Australia proud and bringing in some more medals.
“I think she’s done a great job … whatever she’s doing, keep on doing. If I give any advice to any young swimmers out there, it’s just to enjoy yourself.”
Women’s 50m freestyle multi-class: Lex Leary (S9) was the only multi-class female across the field to qualify for Singapore in the 50m freestyle.
Although she came within a whisker of the 50m world record today, her signature event – the 100m freestyle – is on Thursday and you can bet that the limitless Leary is even hungrier now to crack that world record for a fourth time this year.
And yes, that’s the same event that she set Paris La Défense Arena on fire with when she posted back-to-back world record swims and danced atop the dais in celebration last year.
Women’s 50m fly: Alex Perkins with yet another PB smashed out another Allcomers record – her 25.36 enough to secure a second dance spot in Singapore along with Lily Price (25.64).
Men’s 200m free: In a stacked field, Edward Sommerville shot out to an early lead and sat a body length ahead at the halfway mark which he held on to set a new PB 1:44.93 with Sam Short ripping a new PB also – his 1:45.71 and second place putting him in the frame for a 4x200m relay spot.
Men’s 100m butterfly: Australia’s fastest butterflier Matt Temple had the home advantage over Bond’s Jesse Coleman and Ben Armbruster, with all three swimming under qualifying time. Temple (51.00) took out the top qualifying spot with Coleman (51.09) an eyelash behind.
Day 1:
Craig Lord
