Australian Commonwealth Games Trials: Day Six Finals: Schipper Clocks a Swift 2:06.25 for the 200 Fly; Jim Piper Breaks his 200 Breaststroke Commonwealth Record

By Stephen J. Thomas

MELBOURNE, Australia, February 4. ON the final night of competition at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre, venue for the Commonwealth Games, 200 butterfly world championship silver medalist Jessica Schipper had a real shot at the world record she was unlucky not to have posted in Montreal at the World Champs.

It has been well documented that Schipper was unlucky not to have been awarded the gold medal and world record after Polish swimmer Otylia Jedrzejczak finished with an illegal touch. Schipper went out fast, very fast. The 19-year-old was .87 under the WR split at the 50, extending that to 1.43 at the 100 and was still ahead by .58 at the 150. However, that early pace took its toll and she fatigued in the last 15 meters to record 2:06.25, her second fastest time. Olympian Felicity Galvez swam a PR of 2:08.27 to take the silver and teenager Stephanie Rice, who had already swum the 400 IM shortly beforehand, the bronze in 2:09.75.

Jim Piper produced a well-crafted race in his signature 200 breaststroke to break his own Aussie record and British swimmer Ian Edmond’s Commonwealth record set at the 2003 World Champs in Barcelona. The 23-year-old Piper clocked 2:10.51 to take .18 off the old Commonwealth mark to become the sixth fastest performer in history, recording his fifth consecutive title in this event. Brenton Rickard, winner of the 50-100 double, took the silver in 2:13.92 and Rory Comerford the bronze in 2:17.55.

Aussie record-holder and Athens Olympic finalist Brett Hawke held out a fast finishing Eamon Sullivan to take his fifth Aussie title in the 50 freestyle by just .04 to touch in 22.29. The 30-year-old Hawke has already declared this is his last competitive season and expressed satisfaction after the race he could finish his career racing Commonwealth record-holder South African Roland Schoeman (22.04) in this pool in just over five weeks.

For Sullivan it has been a big week, having already qualified for an individual spot in the two-lap race. The 20-year-old clocked 22.33 – third fastest all-time Aussie performer. Two-time winner of this event Ashley Callus took the bronze in 22.68.

For almost a decade, there has been dominance by Grant Hackett over the 1500 freestyle. Hackett has won the last nine championships and only once, his first win in 1997, was the world-record-holder over 15 minutes for the grueling journey. Tonight there was none of the excitement and expectation generated by the great distance swimmer who was sitting in the stands next to his coach Denis Cotterell after shoulder surgery late last year had kept him out of the meet. It was left to his training partner, former Canadian Kurtis MacGillivary to take the race in a pedestrian 15:22.68, well in front of Travis Nederpelt (15:28.65) and Cameron Smith (15:30.38). It is very unlikely that MacGillivary will be selected for the Commonwealth Games on that time, leaving Nederpelt to swim the race having qualified in the 200 butterfly.

Aussie record holder Jennifer Reilly produced a solid swim in her return to the pool clocking 4:43.72 to take her seventh national title in the 400 IM from another West Aussie, Lara Carroll (4:45.33), and promising teen Ashleigh McCleery (4:46.20). Reilly’s national mark stands at 4:40.71 set at the 2004 Olympic Trials.

MEN'S 50m FREESTYLE
1 22.29 Hawke Brett,75
2 22.33 Sullivan Eamon,85
3 22.68 Callus Ashley,79
4 22.82 Targett Matthew,85
5 22.88 Newton Jonathon,81
6 23.03 Laforest Tim,83
7 23.03 Neuwert Steve,83
8 23.09 Piper Sean,82

MEN'S 1500m FREESTYLE
1 15:22.68 MacGillivary Kurtis,84
2 15:28.65 Nederpelt Travis,85
3 15:30.38 Smith Cameron,86
4 15:31.95 Hurst Ky,81
5 15:32.19 Thompson Andrew,86
6 15:43.32 Grimsey Trent,88
7 15:58.52 Auer Liam,89
8 16:01.85 Beato Andrew,85

MEN'S 200m BREASTSTROKE
1 2:10.51CR Piper Jim,81
2 2:13.92 Rickard Brenton,83
3 2:17.55 Comerford Rory,85
4 2:17.94 Beasley James,82
5 2:18.07 McDonald Robert,81
6 2:18.89 Trickett Luke,83
7 2:19.35 Luca Bryan,88
8 2:20.03 Calder Craig,90

WOMEN'S 200m BUTTERFLY
1 2:06.25 Schipper Jessica,87
2 2:08.27 Galvez Felicity,85
3 2:09.75 Rice Stephanie,88
4 2:13.07 Palmer Kylie,90
5 2:13.19 Paton Sarah-L,86
6 2:13.51 Hamill Samantha,91
7 2:14.46 Smith Amy,90
8 2:16.99 Hunter Nicole,83

WOMEN'S 400m INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
1 4:43.72 Reilly Jennifer,83
2 4:45.33 Carroll Lara,86
3 4:46.20 McCleery Ashleigh,87
4 4:46.98 Rice Stephanie,88
5 4:53.19 Bainbridge Angie,90
6 4:56.23 Goddard Talia,88
7 4:57.59 Rodier Yvette,81
8 5:00.31 Morrison Kristy,86

WOMEN'S 1500m FREESTYLE
1 16:17.74 Gorman Melissa,85
2 16:30.32 Paton Sarah,86
3 16:37.04 South Caroline,88
4 17:03.87 Hunter Nicole,83
5 17:25.92 Osterloh Zoe,84

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