Telstra Australian Short Course Championships Open to Solid Swimming

HOBART, Australia, August 25. ACCORDING to Swimming Australia reports, the 2006 Telstra Australian Short Course Championships opened with a fast first night of finals as newly-minted world-record holder Jessicah Schipper recorded the third-fastest 200 SCM butterfly performance in history with a 2:04.42, while Grant Hackett returned to the pool with a conquest of the 200 SCM freestyle event in 1:44.05.

Schipper coming off a world long course record in the 200 fly at the Pan Pacific Championships last week, missed a world-record double by just .38 seconds as Yu Yang’s standard of 2:04.04 set on January 18, 2004 in Berlin, Germany held up to the assault.

“I have to say I am really happy with that swim,” Schipper said. “A 2:04, I didn’t think I could go that fast after just returning back from Canada. I haven’t really been setting any of my goals towards short course but it’s definitely something that I am going to work on for the future.”

Hackett, the Olympic 1500 meter champion turned on the jets in his event to capture the win over Commonwealth Games relay bronze medalist Kenrick Monk (2nd/1:45.39) and Patrick Murphy (3rd/1:46.74.)

“I felt a little bit funny actually trying to sprint like that and I just wanted to go a 43 (one minute 43) and I went a 44,” Hackett said. “So, it’s slightly disappointing. It’s my first 200 in a while so to get up and swim fast I should be happy. I think I will definitely swim the 1500, as a training run just to go out and see what happens.”

In the 400-meter IM final, Queenslander Leith Brodie demolished the field to defend his title in an impressive 4:08.49. Victorian Nick Cordner (4:16.13) placed second with Shane Cross (4:17.74) of Warringah Aquatic rounding out the podium.

The women’s 400-meter IM came down to Melbourne teenager Talia Goddard taking her maiden Australian championship in a time of 4:41.13 after an epic dual with Albany Creek’s Lorna Tonks (4:41.68).

Training partners Christian Sprenger and Leisel Jones won their respective men’s and women’s 50-meter breaststroke finals, with Sprenger clocking 27.32 and Jones 30.20.

Matt Welsh celebrated his 25th Australian Short Course title with a triumph in the 50-meter backstroke, in a time of 24.25, ahead of fellow Victorian Ashley Delaney (24.61) and Queensland’s Leif Lyons (24.90). Welsh won his initial national championship in the event in 1997.

In the final relay events of the evening, Yeronga Park won the men’s 400-meter freestyle relay after a powerhouse third leg by Andrew Mewing set up the victory, his team just hanging on ahead of a fast finishing Kenrick Monk led SAC Seals, with Nunawading rounding out the medal winners.

The women’s 800-meter freestyle relay final came down to the Redcliffe Leagues Lawnton and Carey Aquatic, with the lead changing multiple times before a decisive anchor leg from Brisbane teenager Jolene Dendle sealed the win for Redcliffe in 8:03.18. Carey (8:06.42) claimed silver with fellow Melbourne club Haileybury Waterlions third in 8:06.42.

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