Ariarne Titmus Ready to Take Aim at World Record in 400 Freestyle; Shayna Jack, Kaylee McKeown Cruise at Aussie Championships

Ariarne Titmus

Ariarne Titmus Ready to Take Aim at World Record in 400 Freestyle; Shayna Jack, Kaylee McKeown Cruise at Aussie Championships

At the time Katie Ledecky registered the performance, an almost unfathomable mark of 3:56.46, it seemed the effort would last for years – unless Ledecky took it even lower. But with the emergence of Ariarne Titmus as a global force, it might be the Australian star who next breaks the world record in the 400-meter freestyle.

During the final morning of prelims at the Australian Championships in Adelaide, Titmus registered the fastest time in the 400 freestyle, touching the wall in 4:06.25 for a two-second gap over Lani Pallister (4:08.87). Although that prelims swim is 10 seconds off the world record, look for Titmus to ratchet up the pace during the final session of the Aussie Champs.

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En route to gold at last summer’s Olympic Games, via an epic duel with Ledecky, Titmus just missed the world record with a swim of 3:56.69. Whether she can cut a few tenths from her personal best to threaten the global standard will be determined during finals, but the possibility exists. Earlier this week, as evidence of her sterling form, Titmus posted a career-best in the 100 freestyle and clocked the No. 2 time of her career in the 200 free.

The next chapter in the Titmus-Ledecky rivalry will have to wait until next year’s World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan since Titmus has announced she will bypass this summer’s World Champs in Budapest. Instead, the Aussie will focus her attention on the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, a decision also adopted by Olympic champions Emma McKeon and Kyle Chalmers.

Titmus will share top billing during the finals with Shayna Jack and Kaylee McKeown, both of whom have already qualified for the World Championships. Jack will be the top seed in the 50 freestyle after scorching a time of 24.23 during prelims, an outing faster than the 24.84 of Meg Harris and the matching 24.87s of Mollie O’Callaghan and Madison Wilson. O’Callaghan is already qualified for Worlds in the 100 freestyle, 200 free, 50 backstroke, 100 back and 200 back.

McKeown will chase her fourth triumph of the week, having previously finished first in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke, along with the 400 individual medley. McKeown is the second seed in the 200 medley, her 2:14.15 morning splash a hundredth off the fastest time of 2:14.14, produced by Jenna Forrester.

In men’s action, Bradley Woodward was the top qualifier in 54.44 and Samuel Williamson led the field in the 50 breaststroke with a time of 27.49. The 1500 freestyle will also be held during the last session of competition.

 

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Guimaraes Cayley
Guimaraes Cayley
1 year ago

She went for it on the 200. Hard to say: let’s hope.
Has Kyle Chalmers decided whether he will go or not?

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