by Ian Hanson
Australian swimming’s green and bold teen machines Sam Short and Mollie O’Callaghan have rocketed to the top of the world tonight, racing to emphatic freestyle victories on night three of the World Trials at the Melbourne Sports And Aquatic Centre.
First it was O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) who swam over the top of Olympic champion, club mate and training partner Ariarne Titmus in the much-anticipated women’s 200m freestyle, and the girls didn’t disappoint.
Either did Short (Rackley Swim Team, QLD), already the fastest swimmer in the world this year over 400m, who powered home over the final 100m and to his second world No 1 ranking, winning the 800m freestyle in 7:40.39 – breaking an Ian Thorpe record for good measure.
In the all-star women’s 200m freestyle final it was “Mollie O” who kicked on down then final lap to clock a stunning 1:53.83 (27.08; 56.29;1:25.54) – the fastest time in the world this year and the fifth fastest time in history – with only world record holder Federica Pellegrini (ITA), Titmus and US pair Alison Schmitt and Katie Ledecky swimming faster.
The time edges O’Callaghan past Canadian wunderkind Summer McIntosh whose Junior World Record time of 1:53.91 had been the previous fastest time in the world this year.
O’Callaghan admitted she was “so nervous” and she was just hoping for a personal best time and to get top two.
“I am just so happy and over-joyed…no matter how I’m feeling in a race I’m still going to go for it,”said O’Callaghan, the reigning World and Commonwealth champion over 100m freestyle.
“This is what I train for. This is what Dean has guided me through so no matter how much I’m hurting I’m still going to push that last 50m no matter what…it’s exciting heading to worlds…I’ll be nervous but let’s see what I can do.
Titmus, 22, who led O’Callaghan for the first 150 metres, finished a gallant second in 1:54.14 (26.88; 55.88; 1:25.38) with 21-year-old Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) – second to Titmus in the 400m – third in a personal best time of 1:56.03 (27.13; 56.81;1:26.59).
“My backend has always been my strength but coming into this meet I know that I had to try and practice my front end a little bit more. So this morning, I did that in the heat and I felt quite good. I think with a little bit more of a rest, hopefully my legs will freshen up a bit going into worlds,” said Titmus, who spoke about the St Peters Western depth.
“When you look at the scoreboard at the end of the final and see that, and most of the women in the field are under the individual qualifying time which is incredible. It just goes to show the incredible depth that we have, which I feel really grateful to be a part of. To have five St Peters Western girls in the final, it’s kind of just like training.”
In fact, there were seven Australian girls under the World Championship qualifying time of 1:56.87 – with Madi Wilson (Marion, SA) 1:56.68, Kiah Melverton (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:56.85, Brianna Throssell (St Peters Western, QLD) a second personal best of the day 1:56.87 all in the A final and fellow St Peters Western squad member Shayna Jack winning the B final in 1:56.82.
Not only a world class advertisement for Australia’s extraordinary depth in women’s freestyle but also in Dean Boxall’s St Peters Western super group – with five girls wearing the SPW caps.
Titmus, O’Callaghan, Melverton and Wilson were all members of Australia’s world record breaking women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team from last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – now a team with an embarrassment of riches who are ready to rock the world in Fukuoka as this plethora of talented females also campaigning for Olympic gold in 2024.
Not to be outdone it was men’s 400m freestyle combatants from night one, Short and reigning 400m freestyle world champion Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD) who lined up for round two over 800m freestyle.
And the boys didn’t disappoint either, with Winnington taking it to Short over the first 100m before Short took over with his dogged, powerhouse stroke and turns pushing ahead at the 150m and 200m turn -touching in 1:52.54 to Winnington’s 1:53.08.
And Short, the reigning Commonwealth champion over 1500m and Australian champion over 400, 800 and 1500m continued full steam ahead, upping his stroke rate and kick speed down the final 100m with his 7:40.39 (26.51; 55.12; 1:52.54; 2:50.64; 3:48.97; 4:47.33; 5:45.84; 6:44.17) not only the fastest time in the world this year but also the 10th fastest time in history – and just 1.74secs shy of Grant Hackett’s 2005 Australian record of 7:38.65 and a world record at the time.
Short, who broke a Kieren Perkins record as an age grouper was just as chuffed to break the Australian All-Comers record (fastest time swum in Australia) of 7:41.59 held by Ian Thorpe – the world record time set by arguably Australia’s greatest ever and the last time the Worlds were swum in Fukuoka in 2001.
Winnington hung on bravely to finish third in 7:45.75 – the eighth fastest time in the world, just outside his personal best but under the all-important qualifying time for Fukuoka with the ever-present and improving Matthew Galea (SOPAC, NSW) third in 7:53.33.
“I knew Thorpie held the Australian All-Comers record and I said to Damien Jones my coach I reckon I can get it…it hurt a lot but I got it…I’m so stoked,” said Short.
“I held off Elijah in the 400 which gave me a lot of confidence and I knew he would come out all guns blazing and we had both swum top times in the world this year and I knew if I was with or ahead of Elijah at the 400m it would give me my best shot because his closing speed is better than mine.
“I had to put a gap on him and I did and it was my day…when you are out in front it makes it a whole lot easier to push – I have been grinding through in training most of the year by myself – Damien pushes me and I’ve learnt to train myself to push myself even when I’m by myself and it has paid off today.”
2023 Australian Trials, Melbourne Sports And Aquatic Centre, results, DAY 3:
Men’s 200m butterfly
Bowen Gough (Griffith University, QLD) 1.56.01
Harrison Turner (Chandler) 1.57.77
William Petric (Nunawading) 1.58.24
Women’s 200m freestyle
Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD,) 1.53.83 (Q)
Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD) 1.54.14 (Q)
Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) 1.56.03
Men’s 50m breaststroke
Samuel Williamson (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) 27.17
Haig Buckingham (SOPAC, NSW) , 27.53
Nash Wilkes, (Southport, QLD) 27.72
Women’s 50m butterfly
Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD) 25.92
Lily Price (Rackley Swim Team, QLD) 25.97
Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD) 26.09,
Men’s 800m freestyle
Samuel Short (Rackley Swim Team, NSW) 7.40.39, All-Comers Record (Q)
Elijah Winnington St Peters Western, QLD) 7.45.75 (Q)
Matthew Galea (SOPAC, NSW) 7.53.33
Automatic Australian Team Qualifiers after three days:
Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD) – 200IM
Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD) – 100m butterfly
Kaylee McKeown (Griffith University, QLD) – 200IM, 100m backstroke
Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) – 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle
Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) – 400m freestyle
Sam Short (Rackley Swim Team, QLD) – 400, 800m freestyle
Brianna Throssell (St Peters Western, QLD) – 100m butterfly
Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD) – 200, 400m freestyle
Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD) 400, 800m freestyle
Full Qld Finals Results:
Men 200m Butterfly
1st Bowen Gough, Griffith University SC, coached by Michael Bohl (1:56.01)
2nd Harrison Turner, Chandler SC Inc, coached by David Proud (1:57.77)
4th Alex Fahey, Iona SC Inc, coached by Zane King (1:59.47)
5th Ruan Van der Riet, USC Spartans SC Inc, coached by Mick Palfrey (1:59.55)
6th David Morgan, St Hilda's Aquatics (QLD), coached by Jon Bell (2:00.36)
7th Jesse Coleman, Bond SC, coached by Chris Mooney (2:00.77)
8th Caio Gallo, Iona SC Inc, coached by Zane King (2:00.90)
Women 200m Freestyle
1st Mollie O'Callaghan, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (1:53.83) QT
2nd Ariarne Titmus, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (1:54.14) QT
3rd Lani Pallister, Griffith University SC, coached by Michael Bohl (1:56.03)
5th Kiah Melverton, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (1:56.85)
6th Brianna Throssell, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (1:56.87)
7th Jenna Forrester, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (1:57.01)
Men 50m Breaststroke
3rd Nash Wilkes, Southport Olympic SC Inc, coached by Glenn Baker (27.72)
4th Grayson Bell, Somerset SC (Gold Coast), coached by Ashley Callus (27.81)
7th Joshua Collett, Bond SC, coached by Chris Mooney (28.09)
7th Jack Dugandzic, Chandler SC Inc, coached by David Proud (28.09)
Women 50m Butterfly
1st Alexandria Perkins, USC Spartans SC Inc, coached by Mick Palfrey (25.92)
2nd Lily Price, Rackley Swim Team Inc, coached by Damien Jones (25.97)
3rd Emma McKeon, Griffith University SC, coached by Michael Bohl (26.09)
4th Abigail Schoorl, Rackley Swim Team Inc, coached by Damien Jones (26.54)
6th Kayla Costa, Southport Olympic SC Inc, coached by Sean Eels (26.63)
7th Chloe Rowe-Hagans, St Andrew's SC, coached by Ash Delaney (27.17)
Men 800m Freestyle
1st Samuel Short, Rackley Swim Team Inc, coached by Damien Jones (7:40.39) QT
2nd Elijah Winnington, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (7:45.75) QT
6th Lachlan Walker, Griffith University SC, coached by Michael Bohl (8:02.40)
7th Benjamin Goedemans, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (8:06.09)
8th Joshua Staples, St Peters Western ASC Inc, coached by Dean Boxall (8:06.11)
Photo credit: Delly Carr, Swimming Australia
