Cate Campbell’s 52.89 100 Free Wraps Up Speedy Australian Time Trials

BRISBANE, Australia, June 22. THE final session of the Australian time trials featured a shocking time for Cate Campbell in the women's 100 freestyle, nearly besting her world-leading time from the world championship trials.

Campbell leads the world with a 52.83 from the April meet, and had posted the four fastest times of 2013 leading up to the Saturday afternoon race. Now she has the five fastest times, with her 52.89 from today marking her third time under 53 seconds this year. No one else in the world has cracked 53 seconds, including reigning Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

The comparison of splits between her April swim and today's swim doesn't show much disparity. She was slightly faster in the first 50 in April (25.22 to 25.39), and came home quicker today (27.70 in April, 27.50 today).

James Magnussen, who had posted a 48.12 in the 100 free a few hours earlier to nearly become the first person under 48 seconds unshaved in 2013, came back for the third session and won the event with a 48.11. If that were his fastest swim of the year, it would tie Magnussen for sixth in the world with Marcelo Chierighini, but the reigning world champion posted a 47.53 in April to sit at the top of the world rankings.

In keeping with the meet's theme of practicing race strategies before the world championships, Magnussen appeared to be working on his opening 50 meters. In the first of his three 100 free swims of the weekend, Magnussen posted a 23.96 first 50. Splits were unavailable for his 48.12 from Saturday morning, but in his third swim, he started the race with a 23.59. In his first and third swims, his final 50 meters were nearly identical: 24.54 on swim 1, 24.52 on swim 3.

Jordan Harrison, who had an impressive world championship trials with his first 1500 free under 15 minutes, swam a quick 7:54.34 in the 800 freestyle today. Harrison skipped the 800 free at the Australian world trials, but posted a 7:54.83 in the 800 split of his 1500 free in April. His time today ranks sixth in the world, with Ryan Cochrane's 7:43.61 still the standard bearer. It is not known if Harrison will swim the 800 free in Barcelona, but nonetheless, the time should be a confidence boost as he prepares for his senior international debut in the mile. Mack Horton, back in Australia after some impressive performances in meets in California, posted a 7:59.37, also an notable swim as the 17-year-old prepares for the junior world championships.

Meagan Nay showed remarkable consistency through three 200 backstrokes, staying in the 2:08 range throughout. In her third swim, she posted a 2:08.66, her fastest of the weekend. She swam a 2:08.92 in the first session and a 2:09.47 in session two. Her best time of the year is a 2:07.96 from April that sits third in the world.

Mitch Larkin was also impressive through the sessions in the 200 backstroke, posting his fastest time of the meet in session three with a 1:58.35. He had swum a 1:58.85 in session one and a 1:59.36 in session two. He put up the sixth-fastest time in the world in April with a 1:56.79.

Cameron McEvoy, Australia's second-fasest 200 freestyler in 2013 behind Thomas Fraser-Holmes, also made improvements through the meet. He swam a 1:47.57 in the third session of the meet, his fastest of the weekend. After sitting out the 200 free in the first session, he had swum a 1:49.46 on Saturday morning, just behind Fraser-Holmes' 1:49.44. With Fraser-Holmes staying out of the third 200 free of the meet, McEvoy swam alone today, but put up an impressive in-season swim in a time that only Conor Dwyer (1:47.01) had bested among Americans unshaved.

Kenneth To posted his second sub-2:00 200 IM of the meet in the third session with a 1:59.86. Typically, a sub-2:00 200 IM is not an easy feat unshaved, so To is in prime position to return to the championship final of the 200 IM at worlds, as he did in 2011.

Click the link below for more results from session three.

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