Aussie Trials, Day 5, Finals: Mollie O’Callaghan 52.33 and Meg Harris 52.63 Deliver A 1-2 Punch In 100m Freestyle
Two-time world champion Mollie O’Callaghan has powered home to win the much-anticipated women’s 100m freestyle crown at the Australian Trials in Sydney – clocking in 52.33 – the third fastest time in the world this year.
O’Callaghan was out in 25.54 and trailed 50m freestyle world champion Meg Harris (Rackley, QLD) 26.19 and Shayna Jack (St Peters Western, QLD 25.31 at the 50m turn.
But it was Mollie O’s supreme underwater work off the wall that saw her surface alongside Harris and Jack, before powering home to add the 100m to her 200m title earlier in the week.
There was no catching O’Calllaghan, leaving the next four swimmers to battle it out for the placings and it was Harris 52.63 (now 5th in the world) who finished second, securing her first individual 100m freestyle start for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
World and Olympic relay gold medallist Jack clocked 52.96 (6th in the world) was third and may still get an individual berth, as she was also under the Australian qualifying time with Alex Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD) a pb of 53.33pb (Equal 8th in the world), fourth; Olivia Wunsch (Carlile, NSW) 53.47 (14th in the world) fifth – also both under the qualifying time of 53.51.
It gives Australia four of the top eight fastest times in the world in another power-acked relay – O’Callaghan, Harris and Jack all part of Australia’s Olympic gold medal-winning team from Paris.
Jack joining brother Jamie (second in the 50m freestyle) for Glasgow – emulating the feats of brother and sister act Michael and Emma McKeon who were members of the last team in Glasgow in 2014.
Harris still has the 50m free, tomorrow as does third-placed finisher Jack.
And despite being an Olympic champion and current Australian record holder, Zac Stubblety-Cook who joined Nunawading, VIC under coach Jol Finck just seven weeks ago with partner Ella Ramsay, was tested for a ticket to Glasgow by his former training partner St Peters Western’s Bailey Lello in the 200m breaststroke final.
“There were certainly some nerves but tonight I had a job to do and I got it done,” Stubblety-Cook said.
Lello led right from the blocks but with less than 50 metres to go could not hold off a charging Stubblety-Cook determined to defend his Commonwealth Games crown.
Stubblety-Cook touched in 2:08.92, just ahead of Lello (2:09.84) who missed qualifying for what would have been his first senior Dolphins team by half a second. Josh Yong finished third (2:10.31).
Then it was Ramsay’s turn to chase her place for Glasgow and it came down to the last lap with the Paris Olympian snatching her place by a fingernail.
Ramsay sneaking under the 2:24.10 QT in 2:24.04 as she raced to the finish stroke-for-stroke alongsideTara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre) who agonisingly missed the QT in 2:24.22, with 50 and 100m winner Sienna Toohey Albury, NSW) third in 2:25.24.
Ramsay praising Finck and the Nunawading club for revitalising her career and giving her back her love of swimming again.