Australia’s gold medal-winning trio from Tokyo Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown and Zac Stubblety-Cook and comeback queen Shayna Jack have rocked the 2022 World Rankings on the second session of finals of the NSW State Open Swimming Championships in Sydney tonight.
Olympic champion Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD) didn’t disappoint, powering home over the final 100m in 1:00.25 to clock an impressive 4:00.03 (1:58.90) - the fastest time in the world this year for 400 metres freestyle - 0.92 faster than the time US rival and world record holder Katie Ledecky clocked at the Southern Zone Sectionals in Florida last month.
The time was also a new NSW All-Comers record by almost four seconds – the previous time set in 2015 by New Zealand Olympian Lauren Boyle – and her second NSW All-Comers mark in two nights after Friday’s 8:18.59 to win the 800m freestyle.
As hard as they tried second and third placed Kiah Melverton (St Peters Western, QLD) who stopped the clock with a personal best 4:03.43 (1:59.96) and Lani Pallister (Griffith University) 4:07.95 (2:02.01) couldn’t match it with the Tokyo champion over the final stages in a high standard final.
Melverton’s time has only been bettered by Titmus (3:56.69), Jess Ashwood 4:03.34) and Kylie Palmer (4:03.40) and the 23-year-old is relishing the move to coach Dean Boxall.
McKeown has also been on song this year under new coach Michael Bohl, adding the 100m backstroke in 58.35 to her 200m win in 2:05.85 – which followed her 58.31 and 2:04.64 at last month’s Victorian States – which were already the fastest times clocked in the world this year.
And Stubblety-Cook (Chandler, QLD) again displayed his trademark come-from-behind final 50, this time in the 100m breaststroke in 1:00.62.
He came from third on the turn in 26.68 to produce a powerful second 50m of 31.34, to push his way towards the top three times in the world in what is very much a work in progress event for the 200m Tokyo gold medallist.
While in the women’s 50m freestyle comeback queen Shayna Jack, fresh from her personal best of 53.13 in the 100m freestyle scored an all the way win the 50m freestyle in 24.53 to complete a satisfying double – both times sitting on top of the world rankings.
Swimming NSW caught up with a very happy Shayna Jack (St Peters Western, QLD) after her 100 metres win saying: “That was amazing, I love being back in the pool and I love being around in this atmosphere. To come away with a medal and a personal best was just the cherry on top.
“What has happened to me is steeling me in the pool....I’m just hoping to make many memories back in the pool that it becomes a distant memory...and I’m hoping to make 2022 my year and beyond that for sure.”
Jack will line with Titmus and fellow Olympians Madi Wilson (Marion, SA), Kiah Melverton (St Peters Western, QLD), Leah Neale (Chandler, QLD), Brianna Throssell (USC Spartans), Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD), and Tamsin Cook (USC Spartans), as well as Griffith University pair Lani Pallister and Moesha Johnson in a classy 200m field this morning.
Throssell has had a strong meet also, adding the 100m butterfly last night in an impressive 57.49 to her opening night win in the 50 butterfly (26.24) and concentrating today on the 200m freestyle and not her signature 200m butterfly on= the same program.
It was another successful night for Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD) adding the 200-800m freestyle double, scooting away to dominate the 200m freestyle in 1:47.19 (53.07) from 100m winner Zac Incerti (Marion, SA) 1:48.93 with teenage trio, NSW youngster Ryan Wilkes (Sydney University) 1:50.33 third and followed by Thomas Hauck (All Saints, QLD) 1:50.37 and Kai Taylor (St Peters Western) 1:50.82.
Before later in the night claiming the 800m and completing the 200, 400, 800m treble – successfully defending the three titles he won in 2021 – in a time of 7:57.86 ahead of Rio Olympic champion Mack Horton (Griffith University, QLD) 8:07.25 and Matthew Galea (Sydney Olympic Swim Club) 8:09.86.
And in the major upset of the night Nunawading Victoria’s 17-year-old National Age champion William Petric has claimed two Olympic team scalps in Se Bom-Lee and Mitch Larkin in the 200m individual medley.
Petric has been on song this summer since taking the South Australian and Victorian titles and now adding the NSW championship in a rare triple crown.
The teenage rising star has improved his time from 2:03.41 to 2:01.78 in SA in January to last night’s impressive 2:00.77 which featured an eye-catching breaststroke and freestyle legs.
In Multi-Class action Alexander Tuckfield (SLC Aquadot, NSW) and Hannah Price (Campbelltown, NSW) won the 400m freestyle in 4. 20.47 and 5:04.35 respectively.
While in the men’s 100m veteran Paralympian Matthew Levy (North Sydney, NSW) just keeps on keeping on with his win in the 100m breaststroke in 1:24.04, with Keira Stephens (USC Spartans) the women’s title in 1:127.51.
In the 50m freestyle finals Paralympic gold medallist Benjamin Hance (USC Spartans, QLD) continued on his winning ways adding the sprint title in 23.86 from fellow Tokyo team mates and medallists, Tom Gallagher (USC Spartans, QLD) 24.37 and Levy, 28.63.
The women’s 50m went to Tokyo butterfly silver medallist , 17-year-old Jasmine Greenwood (Bay and Basin, NSW) 28.69, Stephens 29.12 and Taylor Corry (Nelson Bay, NSW) 28.94.
The last heats session of these championships are streaming now on SwimTV. Get your event pass for $5.99 which will give you access to tonight's finals session as well!
Full 2022 NSW State Open Championships event info can be found on the Swimming NSW website.
