Victorian Open Championships: Australia Kicks Off Post-Techsuit Era With Victorian Champs

MELBOURNE, Australia, January 15. AUSTRALIA opened life in the post-techsuit era with the first day of long course meter swimming at the Victorian Open Championships held in Melbourne.

Ryan Cochrane opened the evening with a winning time of 3:53.23 in an exciting finish to the men's 400 free. He had to hold off a hard-charging Patrick Murphy, who finished second in 3:53.29. Murphy clocked a 27.63 down the final 50, but Cochrane had enough in the tank with a 28.01 to withstand the final surge. Shane Asbury also cleared 4:00 with a 3:59.64 for third.

Marieke Guehrer raced to victory in the women's 50 fly with a time of 26.71. She'd already clocked a swift 26.74 earlier in the day during prelims. Felicity Galvez touched second in 26.96 with Alicia Coutts taking third in 27.20.

Lachlan Staples cruised in the men's 200 fly for a winning time of 2:01.60, while Stefan Hirniak placed second in 2:02.06. Sam Ashby completed the podium with a third-place 2:02.89.

Sarah Katsoulis followed in the women's 100 breast with a top time of 1:07.81 with favorite Leisel Jones on the shelf due to a broken toe that caused her to withdraw from the meet. Samantha Marshall placed second in 1:08.53, while Chelsea Carpenter turned in a third-place time of 1:10.31. Aisling Scott just missed the top three with a fourth-place 1:10.46.

Daniel Crook dropped a 29.03 in the men's 50 breast for the win after clocking a 29.10 in prelims. Jeremy Meyer took second in 29.75, while Jack Laidler wound up third in 29.92.

Coutts turned her third-place finish in the women's 50 fly into a win with a 55.84 in the women's 100 free. She had to hold off a surging Kelly Stubbins, who took second in 55.87. Alice Mills rounded out the top three in 55.90.

Kyle Richardson clocked a 49.80 to win the men's 100 free with a time of 49.80, while Tommaso D'Orsogna also cleared 50 seconds with a 49.95. Cameron Prosser, who beat 50 seconds with a 49.76 in prelims, settled for a third-place 50.07 in the finale.

Talia Goddard eased through the women's 400 IM with a top time of 4:55.09, while Aleysha Tokai took second in 4:59.02. Amy White snatched third in 5:01.64.

Youngster Jordan White, 16, overtook Rachel Goh with a superior back half in the women's 200 back for the win, 2:19.02 to 2:19.51. Goh led White, 1:07.72 to 1:08.04, at the halfway mark with third-place finisher Katy Murdoch out fast with a 1:07.14. Murdoch wound up third in 2:19.60.

Ben Treffers touched out Daniel Arnamnart by the slimmest of margins in a hotly-contested men's 50 back finale. Treffers claimed the title, 25.43 to 25.44. Hayden Stoeckel provided some added competition with a third-place 25.64.

Belinda Parslow topped the women's 800 free field with a time of 8:53.90. Belinda Bennett took second in 8:55.50, while Kevyn Peterson grabbed third in 8:57.92.

In relay action, Daniel Blackborrow, Daniel Crook, Paul Benson and Nicholas Ferrier won the men's 400 medley relay in 3:47.53, while Loh, Emily Selig, Lorelle McLeish and Jessica Morrison claimed the women's 400 medley relay in 4:12.91.

In multi-disability events, Jay Dohnt was listed in first in the men's 50 breast with a 43.41, while Ellie Cole was listed in first in the women's 50 fly with a 33.17. Meanwhile, Tanya Huebner was listed first in the women's 100 breast in 1:48.33 with Peter Leek listed first in the men's 100 fly in 1:02.59. Cole picked up her second first-place listing with a 35.46 in the women's 50 back, while Leek did the same with a 27.23 in the men's 50 free.

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