Queensland State Championships: James Magnussen Picks Up Big Win

BRISBANE, Australia, December 13. WORLD champion James "Missile" Magnussen has blitzed the 100m freestyle field on night three of the Queensland State Championships in Brisbane, claiming the two lap dash in 48.63.

In his first major 100m freestyle final since winning two gold and a silver at this year's Shanghai World Championships in July, the 20-year-old Sydney sprinter comfortably accounted for fellow world championship relay gold medallist Matt Targett (49.15) and promising Gold Coast 17-year-old Cameron McEvoy (49.19).

Interestingly, McEvoy's third place time was a new Australian 17-years age record, eclipsing Ian Thorpe's time of 49.45 that he posted in Sydney prior to the 2000 Olympics.

But it was the Brant Best coached Port Macquarie product, who posted a time just 0.38 shy of his gold medal winning swim at this year's Australian Championships, which dominated talk on pool deck – both good and bad.

"I was pretty happy with that swim, though I can't really say the same for my coach, he wasn't too pleased," said Magnussen.

"But that's what this meet was about, finding little things that I needed to work on ahead of next year's trials in Adelaide."

In the women's corresponding event it was an equally impressive display by Olympic 50m freestyle bronze medallist Cate Campbell, who held off a fast finishing Melanie Schlanger (53.85) and third place getter Yolane Kukla (55.22) to steal gold in 53.82 – in the process posting the second fastest time by an Australian this year and sneaking into the world top ten.

The 19-year-old Campbell, who did not compete at the last two major international competitions due to bouts of chronic fatigue and post viral fatigue, signalled her intentions that she doesn't intend to miss a third straight international meet in London in 2012.

"I have put on ten kilo's since this year's trials and am starting to reap the rewards of a better diet," said Campbell.

"That was my best swim in a textile suit, so I am not only happy but very surprised, especially to do it at a state meet."

In other events…

Men's 200m butterfly:
After recording a time of 52.98 in the 100m butterfly final on Sunday night, the only swimmer to go under 53 seconds, Chris Wright (2:01.19) has tonight claimed the butterfly double, taking in out the 200m in 1:57.94.

The 22-year-old Gold Coast swimmer looks to be back on track after a shoulder injury earlier in the year ruled him out of the Australian Swimming Championships.

Making up the minor places were the world championships 200m butterfly duo of Jayden Hadler (2:00.37) and Travis Nederpelt (2:00.40).

Women's 200m butterfly:
It was a clean sweep of the butterfly events for Ellen Gandy (2:09.13) when she claimed gold in the women's 200m butterfly final. The 20-year old from Great Britain led from start to finish and Olympian Jess Schipper was forced to play catch up in the final 50 metres, touching just behind Gandy in 2:10.48. Third place went to Amy Smith with a time of 2:11.65.

Women's 200m backstroke:
After a sensational swim in the 100m backstroke final on Monday night, Emily Seebohm now owns the Queensland title in the 200m backstroke after streaking the field over the final 50m to claim her third gold of the championships in 2:10.59.

Trailing the 19-year-old Olympic relay gold medallist into the wall was Japan's Tomoyo Fukuda (2:12.91), while Jenni O'Neill and Ellen Fullerton dead heated for third in 2:13.57.

Men's 200m backstroke:
Matt Hawes, Sydney University's 25-year-old veteran, was the only swimmer in the 200m backstroke field to dip below the two minute barrier, striking gold in 1:59.29.

Promising 18-year-old Victorian Josh Beaver (2:00.04) snared silver with Australian record holder Ashley Delaney (2:00.90) touching in third.

Women's 800m freestyle
The women's 800m freestyle saw one of the swims of the meet with Gold Coast world championships team member Katie Goldman getting to the wall in a season's best time of 8:24.71 – the seventh fastest time in the world this year.

The ever improving Sydney swimmer Jessica Ashwood was the next best in 8:31.21, while Australian 10km champion Melissa Gorman was third in 8:33.07.

Men's 1500m freestyle
Korean Olympic 400m champion Park Tae Hwan was a class above in the final all-age event of the night's program when he claimed an emphatic victory in the men's 1500m in 15:17.37.

Gold Coast teen Wally Eggleton was second in 15:23.45, while his Miami team mate Jordan Harrison was third in 15:27.54.

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