Ariarne Titmus In Record Breaking Touch With Her 8:18.59 At The NSW State Championships in Sydney

EYE OF THE TIGER: Ariarne Titmus shows the style that made her a two-time Olympic champion, as she powers to a NSW All-Comers record in the 800m freestyle at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre last night. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

Ariarne Titmus In Record Breaking Touch At NSW Championships in Sydney

Dual Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD) has started her NSW State Open Championship campaign in record-breaking style, setting a new NSW-All-comers record last night in the 800m freestyle.

GOLDEN CLAIM: A flashback to an Ariarne Titmus Tokyo triumph. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW)

Titmus, the Olympic silver medalist behind US gun Katie Ledecky in Tokyo, started out her night at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre with a slick fourth placed 100m freestyle in 54.53 behind club mate Shayna Jack.

But the longer it is the better “Arnie” likes it and one of the real super-stars of the Dolphins Tokyo medal haul, finished it off in fine style, taking out the 800m in a time of 8:18.59 (59.91; 2.03.01; 3:06.53; 4:09.98; 5:12.61; 6:15.42; 7:18.13).

It took one full second off Jessicah Ashwood’s 2016 NSW All-Comers mark of 8:19.59, when the 2012 and 2016 dual Olympian was swimming with Queensland’s Chandler club.

Titmus had staged a real battle royal with St Peters Western training partner and fellow Tokyo 800m freestyle finalist Kiah Melverton over the first 700m.

Melverton stuck to Titmus like glue as she split 1:00.17 at the 100m mark, 2:03.34 (200m) and 4:10.30 (400m) –only trailing Titmus at the 700m turn by one full second.

PURPLE PATCH: Swimming’s Photo Ninja Delly Carr nailed this image of Kiah Melverton displaying her purple colour combo as she powers to a close up second in last night’s 800m freestyle. Photo Courtesy:Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

It was over the final two laps where Titmus extended her lead by 0.86 – powering home over the final 100m in 1:00.46 to Melverton’s 1:01.32.

And in encouraging signs, World Junior champion Lani Pallister (Griffith University) returned to competition for the first time since last year’s Olympic Trials to finish third in 8:28.78, ahead of club mate and Australian five and 10km champion Moesha Johnson (8:28.96).

The girls all lined up in today’s 400m freestyle heats, with Titmus leading the qualifiers for the final in 4:09.29, ahead of Melverton (4:09.43), Johnson (4:09.76), Pallister (4:10.40) and Maddie Gough (4:12.14).

Jack stole the 100m freestyle title when she powered down the first lap in 25.69 – with a real “catch me if you can” plan with the field in hot pursuit.

But as hard as they tried they couldn’t get to Jack who held on to clock 53.13 – a time that would have seen her sixth at last year’s Olympic Trials and on the team for Tokyo.

Mollie O'Callaghan Medal Shot Photo Courtesy Wade J Brennan Photography. peg

MOLLIE’S MEDAL HAUL: Mollie O’Callaghan, shows off her medal haul from the Queensland Championships. Photo Courtesy: Wade Brennan Photography.

Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD) the 16-year-old who was sixth and went on to swim in the heats of both the 4×100 and 4x200m freestyle in Tokyo – taking gold and bronze respectively – produced the fastest second 50 of 26.99, touching in 53.67, with Jack reversing the placings from December’s Queensland Championships.

Marion SA’s Madi Wilson – who was out in 26.20, behind Jack, finished third in 53.68.

Former WA Tokyo bronze medallist in the 4x100m freestyle relay Zac Incerti (Marion) kept his cool in the men’s 100m freestyle to power home to claim the title after fellow relay team member and SA-based training partner Matt Temple (ex-Nunawading, VIC) led down the first lap.

Temple was out in 23.71 to USC Spartan QLD’s Ashton Brinkworth’s 24;03 and Incerti’s 24.05 – but it was Incerti’s sub 26 second 50 that saw him claim the win in 49.52 from Temple (49.87) and Brinkworth (50.13).

Griffith University’s Cody Simpson (50.27) finished fourth and Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western) 50.49 fifth after his stirring victory in the men’s 400m freestyle.

IN FULL FLIGHT: Elijah Winnington on his way to 400m freestyle gold. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

Winnington clocked an eye-catching 3:47.05 to take the 400m from Griffith University training-partners Tokyo 400IM bronze medallist Brendon Smith (3:50.56) and Rio Olympic champion Mack Horton (3:52.81).

While another of the Olympic champions in Sydney this weekend, Kaylee McKeown (Griffith University) 2:05.85, didn’t disappoint in a comfortable win in the women’s 200m backstroke ahead of O’Callaghan (2:10.91) and USC Spartans Tahlia Thornton (2:13.03)

In other events on night one:

DUAL Olympian Brianna Throssell (26.24) claimed the 50m butterfly and Olympic team mate Mitch Larkin (Chandler) the 50m backstroke in 25.48

STOP THE FIGHT: Bowen Gough, making waves at Griffith University. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

GRIFFITH University’s new recruit from Nunawading, Bowen Gough powered away to record an impress win in the 200m butterfly in 1:57.70 (56.02).

TOKYO medley relay gold medallist Chelsea Hodges (Southport, QLD) was the only swimmer under 1:08, for a comfortable win in the 100m breaststroke in 1:07.23.

USC Spartans 20-year-old Joshua Yong (27.89) was too slick for Blue Mountains boys, Tokyo Olympian Matthew Wilson (28.18) and Haig Buckingham (28.36) – both from the Sydney Olympic Swim Club second and third respectively. ST PETERS WESTERN’s Jenna Forrester took out the women’s 400IM in 4:41.81.

TIM’S STATE GOlD: Auburn’s Tim Hodge on his way to gold in Sydney last night. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

WHILE in the Multi-Class events NSW pair, three-time Tokyo medallist Timothy Hodge (Auburn) 1:01.51) and Taylor Corry (Nelson Bay) took out their respective 100m butterfly titles, while Tokyo golden boy Benjamin Hance (USC Spartans) 1:58.32 won the men’s 200m freestyle and club mate and fellow Tokyo medallist Ruby Storm (2:17.52) the women’s event.

Hodge claimed the gold from WA’s Alex Saffy, dubbed the “Bunbury Bullet” 59.09 and Paralympic bronze medallist Col Pearse (Nunawading) 59.15.

RINGS OF CONFIDENCE: Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD). . Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

FLYING FUTURE: Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD). Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

NEW ADDITION: Former WA girl Brianna Throssell claims gold for her new team at USC Spartans, QLD. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

LOCAL HERO: Isabella Johnson (SOSC) shows off her style in the 100m breaststroke final,. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

VICTORY PUSH: Olympic medley relay gold medallist Chelsea Hodges on her way to victory in the 100m breaststroke. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

KID POWER: Declan Budd (Knox Pymble) at just 14 has a big future in Multi-Class racing Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

PARA CHAMP: Tokyo golden boy Benjamin Hance after his win in the Multi-Class 200m freestyle. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

HANDS UP: Tokyo Olympian Matthew Wilson (SOSC) powers to a silver medal in the 50m breaststroke. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

EYES WIDE SHUT: Joshua Yong (USC Spartans) after claiming gold in 50m breaststroke. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

POWER PLUS: Shayna Jack (St Peters Western, QLD) charges to victory in the 100m freestyle. Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).Photo Courtesy:

ARMS LENGTH: Madi Wilson (Marion, SA) quick to embrace Shayna Jack after last night’s 100m freestyle final. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE: Olympic relay bronze medallist Zac Incerti (USC Spartans, QLD) flew home to take gold in the men’s 100m freestyle Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

IM THE WINNER: Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD) on the fly in last night’s 400IM win. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW).

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