Eamon Sullivan Sets Australian National Short Course Record at Telstra Grand Prix

CANBERRA, Australia, July 21. EAMON Sullivan cemented his position as Australia's fastest swimmer ever by smashing the national short course 50 meter freestyle record at the Telstra Grand Prix at the Australian Institute of Sport pool in Canberra.

Swimming in the elimination style Monaco 50s, Sullivan clocked a sizzling 21.62 to slash .07 seconds off Brett Hawke's seven-year-old Australian record.

Tonight's record means the 21-year-old Western Australian holds the nation's fastest 50 and second fastest 100 times in both long and short course competition.

Earlier today Sullivan clocked 47.45 to take out the 100, second only to Ash Callus' National mark of 46.99 but his job is not done and tomorrow he will square off against Jono Newton, who swam 22.13 tonight, in man-on-man Monaco 50 final.

Sullivan wasn't the only swimmer to make an adjustment to the Australian all-time rankings either with Sarah Katsoulis, Emily Seebohm and Andrew Lauterstein also turning in some fast times.

Katsoulis moved to fourth on the Australian all-time list in the women's 50 breaststroke with a time of 30.75 despite finishing as the second quickest qualifier behind clubmate Leisel Jones (30.34).

Seebohm posted her third personal best of the weekend when she stopped the clock in 27.73 in the women's 50 backstroke to move to sixth on the Australian all-time list. She will take on Belinda Hocking in tomorrow's final after Hocking swam 28.03 – the ninth best Australian all-time.

Lauterstein pushed into sixth in the men's 50 butterfly with a time of 23.63 and will race off against veteran Adam Pine, 23.85, in the final.

Ashley Delaney improved his own personal best to maintain his spot at sixth on the all-time men's 50 backstroke rankings and his opponent in the final, Robert Hurley, moved into the top 10 at ninth with a 24.66.

Other finals tomorrow in the Monaco 50s include Brenton Rickard against Christian Sprenger (27.97) in the men's breaststroke after Rickard just missed the Australian record with his 27.13; Danni Miatke (26.58) against Galvez in the women's butterfly and Alice Mills (25.19) taking on Olivia Halicek (25.28) in the women's freestyle.

In other events, Grant Brits upstaged his training partner Kenrick Monk in the 200 freestyle by posting a personal best of 1:45.74, ninth best all-time on the Australian list. Monk was just behind in 1:45.93, with Nick Ffrost next on 1:46.40.

Felicity Galvez was quickest in the women's 200 butterfly with a 2:08.38, while Kylie Palmer was best in the women's 400 freestyle in 4:07.92.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Special thanks to Swimming Australia for contributing this report.

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