Arnie v Mollie In A World Record Duel For The Ages – Bring On The Re-Match In Paris

Arnie v Mollie In A World Record Duel For The Ages – Bring On The Re-Match In Paris

Two mighty Queenlanders Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan swam their way into swimming’s storied history books at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre last night in a two-pronged world record attack never seen before at our grand old pool that has witnessed some mighty races since it first opened its doors in 1981.

A night that saw Cam McEvoy seal a history-making place in a fourth Olympic team, winning the 50m freestyle in 21.35 and he will be joined in Paris by Bond rookie Ben Armbruster (21.84) who was second in the one lap dash and under the qualifying time.

And Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western; Coach: Dean Boxall) in claiming his second individual swim for Paris, swimming a QT of 7:44.90 in the 800 as he and brave sparring partner Sam Short (Rackley; Coach: Damien Jones) who has battled an energy-sapping gastro bout, just outside the QT in 7:46.52 also put on a show.

And all that after a captivating opening bout – a 200m freestyle duel in the pool between two club mates, both swimming under the same coach and with three other St Peters Western girls in a final lineup the envy of the world.

Their target – Paris selection; two individual and six relay spots.

No room for complacency. It was game on from the get-go – and to be sure of those Paris spots it meant attack, attack and when in doubt attack again – world record pace from the gun.

A race that lifted the roof off Chandler as we know and love her, in a world record race for the ages with Titmus setting a new global mark in the 200m freestyle after four epic laps in one of Australian swimming’s most memorable nights

Both girls swimming under Mollie O’s previous world mark (1:52.85 set at the 2023 Fukuoka World's) – Titmus out-touching her St Peters Western teammate – clocking 1:52.23 (26.64; 55.13; 1:23.95) to O’Callaghan’s 1:52.48 (26.59; 55.33; 1:24.11) – Arnie taking a whopping 0.62 off the previous mark – beating her teammate by 0.25.

It was the inspirational Lani Pallister (Griffith University; Coach: Michael Bohl) second to Titmus in the 400m for a Paris berth, touching third in her personal best time of 1:55.57 to put herself in the relay. The first six swimmers all under the Olympic qualifying time of 1:56.49 (see Results below) including all four St Peters Western swimmers who broke the world record in the 4x200m freestyle in Fukuoka last year (Titmus, O’Callaghan, Brianna Throssell and Shayna Jack).

Titmus in lane four, O’Callaghan in lane five, producing an epic stroke-for-stroke battle royal.

Down the first lap it was Jack, who took the race out under world record pace - spitting 26.24 at the first turn.

And it was the signal for her two teammates – Titmus the Olympic Champion and Mollie "O" the 2023 World Champion and World Record Holder to push themselves where no women had ever ventured before.

At the 100m mark it was Titmus 0.81 seconds ahead of world record pace, Mollie right on her shoulder, the crowd on its feet, as they reacted to one of the greatest four-lap duels in swimming history.

By the 150m mark it was still Titmus in front, 0.79 under world time – both girls pushing hard off the final turn and for the next 25 metres it was Mollie O who lifted, her signature six-beat kick surging her narrowly into the lead, edging in front of her teammate.

And just when it looked like the world champ from Fukuoka would take over, the Olympic champ dug deeper than she’s ever dug before, finding something to edge oh so narrowly in front.

For the last 15 metres the two girls swam stroke-for-stroke, kicking for their life, the crowd stomping and screaming – lifting the roof off the famous old Brisbane pool at Chandler, Titmus touching the wall 0.25secs ahead of O’Callaghan. What a battle it was .. gripping from start to finish and off every turn - swimming at a never seen before level of power and determination.

An elated Titmus out-touched Mollie and smashed the water with a clenched fist in elation, with Mollie bravely coming to terms with the fact that she had just swum faster than she had ever swum in her life but had lost her prized world record – devastation.

Their coach Dean Boxall, prancing along the top deck of the pool, remonstrating with himself and signaling to the crowd that he had five swimmers of the eight finalists in the water and the two fastest swimmers of all time who will headline the Dolphins at the Paris Olympics in what will be the most anticipated re-match of the Games.

Titmus praised her teammates, coach Boxall and the St Peters Western program, saying: “This race is so hotly contested that both Mollie and I have to put our best foot forward to (even) make this team for the relay, looking at (all) the results it’s just unbelievable.

“I am just really happy to finally produce a swim in the 200m that my training reflects. I think that the field that we have is why we are swimming so fast.

“We push each other every day…to have five girls under Dean in that final is unbelievable it’s a credit to him and the program…"

The St Peters Western girls certainly push each other to their limits, O’Callaghan saying: “It really shows how hard we train.”

AUSTRALIAN TRIALS Women’s 200m Freestyle

  1) TITMUS, ARIARNE  (23) ST PETERS WESTERN,QLD 1:52.23W   

    r:+0.74  26.64        55.13 (28.49)

        1:23.95 (28.82)     1:52.23 (28.28)

  2) O'CALLAGHAN, MOLLIE (20) ST PETERS WESTERN,QLD 1:52.48W  

    r:+0.69  26.59        55.33 (28.74)

        1:24.11 (28.78)     1:52.48 (28.37)

  3) PALLISTER, LANI  (22) GRIFFITH UNI, QLD  1:55.57Q    

    r:+0.67  27.31        56.67 (29.36)

        1:26.29 (29.62)     1:55.57 (29.28)

  4) THROSSELL, BRIANNA  (28) ST PETERS WESTERN,QLD 1:55.74Q    

    r:+0.72  27.24        56.81 (29.57)

        1:26.51 (29.70)     1:55.74 (29.23)

  =5) JACK, SHAYNA     (25) ST PETERS WESTERN,QLD  1:56.22Q   

    r:+0.71  26.24        55.70 (29.46)

        1:26.32 (30.62)     1:56.22 (29.90)

  =5) PERKINS, JAMIE   (19) ST PETERS WESTERN,QLD   1:56.22Q    

    r:+0.75  27.28        56.93 (29.65)

        1:27.08 (30.15)     1:56.22 (29.14)

  7) CASTELLUZZO, BRITTANY  (23) TEA TREE GULLY SA  1:56.77     

    r:+0.64  27.24        57.15 (29.91)

        1:27.22 (30.07)     1:56.77 (29.55)

  8) HARRIS, MEG      (22) RACKLEY, QLD              1:56.93    

    r:+0.73  26.72        56.03 (29.31)

        1:26.69 (30.66)     1:56.93 (30.24)

Cam And The Kid Now Brothers In Arms

Cam McEvoy (Somerville House; Coach Tim Lane) took just 21.35 seconds to seal a place in Australian swimming history – becoming the first male swimmer to qualify for four Olympic teams in Paris this year, at 30 years of age.

And swimming right alongside McEvoy in the 50m freestyle final on night three of the Australian Trials was Bond’s Ben Armbruster (Coach Chris Mooney) who took just 21.84 seconds to join McEvoy on his first Olympic team.

McEvoy started his career at the 2012 London Games, adding Rio in 2016 where he won his only Olympic medals – bronze in the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays and Tokyo in 2020 – his love of swimming never wavering as he unveiled his new approach to training.

Together with coach Lane and the Sports Science team at the QAS, McEvoy has engineered the power approach to training which saw him win his first world title in the 50m freestyle in Fukuoka last year.

McEvoy said to be the first male swimmer to attend a fourth Games was special.

“About 18 Months ago, my goal was to just come back, give this new training approach a go and see what happened,” said McEvoy.

“(So) the privilege of having that title, having that type of longevity … it shines a lot on the persistence and perseverance that I have.

“You could almost fill a book with legendary Aussie male names in the sport.

“What I’ve done so far has just obliterated any expectations I had. I’m most excited to try and get this done (medal at Paris) and then just like compile what I’ve learned and just push it out there into the public.”

Armbruster grew up in Stanthorpe in Queensland’s Southern Downs where the pool is only open six months a year and it wasn’t until he made the Queensland State squad that he started training year-round, which meant a 100km round trip to Warwick.

He relocated to the University of the Sunshine Coast in late 2020 – leaving behind his coach of 14 years Gail Small – linking up with noted Olympic gold medal coach Chris Mooney at USC Spartans on the Sunshine Coast.

He then followed Mooney to Bond University on the Gold Coast in 2021 where he is studying for a Bachelor of Sport Management.

“It is like relief. It was happiness. It was a mix of everything, and I just can’t believe it,” said Armbruster, who has his best event, the 100m butterfly later in the week.

“I asked someone to slap me earlier, like just before, because I feel like I’m dreaming.

“My poor family has supported me and got me here. So, I think it’s also a relief for them just to know that everything that they’ve put in, as well as me, has finally paid off.”

Day 3 Qld Results: