Klim Swims Third Fastest 50 Fly

By Stephen J Thomas

CANBERRA< June 25. GIVEN that all members of the Australian Olympic team are in hard training after last month's Olympic selection trails, Michael Klim and Susie O'Neill pulled out excellent swims on the weekend at the Telstra Grand Prix Swim Meet in Canberra. Michael Klim almost matched his Short Course 50 fly world record of last week, swimming the third fastest long course time in history over the straight fifty. The world record-holder for the 100 fly, clocked a personal best 23.80, which was 0.2 seconds behind Australian teammate Geoff Huegill's world mark set at last month's Australian trials. Klim also recorded a very solid 53.20 in the 100m butterfly to defeat Adam Pine and Geoff Huegill, and 22.78 in the 50 free later in the day. Susie O'Neill, the 200m fly world record-holder, held on to a six-year unbroken run in the event swimming the fifth fastest time in the year to easily beat arch rival Petria Thomas. O'Neill swam 2:09.68, almost four seconds outside her world record time, to beat Thomas by more than five seconds. O'Neill has not lost the event since the 1994 World Championships. Pan Pacific champion Simon Cowley, took a positive step towards his future after missing the Olympic team, with a confidence boosting win over Olympians Regan Harrison, Phil Rogers and Ryan Mitchell in the 100 breast winning in 1:03.69. This was the first of three grand prix events organised for the Australian team leading up to the Games in September. There will be another meet in Brisbane in July followed by the final event, three weeks from the Games in Melbourne.

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