Australian Olympic Trials: Leisel Jones Makes Fourth Olympic Squad

ADELAIDE, Australia, March 17. THE third day of competition at the Australian Olympic Trials featured a history-making swim, a Paralympic world record and new world-leading times in the women's 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke.

Leisel Jones became the first Australian swimmer — male or female — to make four Olympic squads when she finished second in the 100 breaststroke final today with a 1:07.64. Jones swam in the Sydney Games in 2000 as a 14-year-old, finishing second in the event. She would earn bronze in the 100 breast in 2004 and would make the medal collection complete with gold in 2008. Additionally, she has earned two golds and a silver as part of the 400 medley relay and two silvers in the 200 breast in 2004 and 2008.

“I'll be able to relax more at these Olympics and I'm confident I can go faster and really chase (Rebecca) Soni down in London,” Jones said.

FINALS
Men 200 free

Thomas Fraser-Holmes qualified for his second individual event for the Olympics with a win in the 200 free in a time of 1:46.88. The time puts him fifth in the 2012 world rankings. Fraser-Holmes won the 400 IM on Thursday in national record time.

Placing second in the race and also qualifying for the individual 200 free was Kenrick Monk in 1:47.16, the sixth-fastest swim in 2012. Monk was plagued with troubles following an accident last September in which he claimed he was run over while riding a bicycle, but later admitted he fell off his skateboard, and suffered a fractured elbow. Monk's punishment was a fine from Swimming Australia and reprimand from Queensland police.

Finishing third through sixth in the race and earning Olympic roster spots for 800 free relay purposes were David McKeon (1:47.55), Ned McKendry (1:47.61), Ryan Napoleon (1:47.66) and Cameron McEvoy (1:47.79).

Robert Hurley (1:48.28) and Tommas D'Orsogna (1:48.30) also competed in the final.

Women 100 breast
Leiston Pickett blazed through the race with a time of 1:06.88, tying her with Soni as the top swimmer in the world. Jones' second-place time of 1:07.64 puts her fifth in the world.

Sarah Katsoulis finished third in 1:08.11. Also competing in the final were Lorna Tonks (1:09.01), Sally Foster (1:09.27), Rebecca Kemp (1:09.40), Taylor McKeown (1:09.44) and Jessica Hansen (1:09.95).

Women 100 back
Emily Seebohm and Belina Hocking put on a show for the crowd, with the two earning Olympic selection in the event. It was Seebohm who touched first in 59.28, holding off a strong final push from Hocking, who had posted times under one minute through heats and semifinals. Hocking finished second in 59.41, slightly off her semifinals time of 59.39. Seebohm secures her spot at the top of the world rankings, improving on her 59.36 from last month.

Sophie Edington, a mainstay in Australian backstroke, settled for third with a 1:00.65, just off her year's best of 1:00.56 from January. Grace Loh was fourth in 1:00.78.

Rounding out the championship final field were Meagan Nay (1:01.50), Rachel Goh (1:02.47), Madison Wilson (1:02.53) and Shani Burleigh (1:03.27).

Men 100 back
Swimming in front of a home crowd, 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Hayden Stoeckel earned another trip to the Games with a winning time of 53.98. The time is off the 53.73 he swam in yesterday's semifinals to put him in a tie for fifth in the world.

Stoeckel told the media afterward that his goggles filled partly with water during the race. “If I can win a race like that under pressure with goggles full of water then, hey, bring on London!” he said.

Daniel Arnamnart got his hand on the wall for second place in a tight battle with two others for the second Olympic spot. Arnamnart's time of 54.05 puts him eighth in the world. Benjamin Treffers settled for third with a 54.16 and Ashley Delaney, a 2008 Olympic finalist in this event, was fourth in 54.20.

Ben Edmonds (55.16), Matson Lawson (55.27), Joshua Beaver (55.38) and bob Jovanovich (55.83) also swam in the final.

SEMIFINALS
Women 200 free

Bronte Barratt continued her strong meet with a top qualifying time of 1:56.88, vaulting her to fifth in the world. Stephanie Rice posted the second-fastest time with a 1:57.57 and Kylie Palmer was third in 1:57.75. These three women comprised part of the gold medal-winning 800 free relay at the Beijing Games (the now-retired Linda McKenzie was the other member of the relay).

Also making the final were Britta Elmslie (1:57.77), Blair Evans (1:57.78), Melanie Schlanger (1:57.91), Jade Neilsen (1:57.94) and Angie Bainbridge (1:58.48). Of all the swimmers in the final, only Schlanger has swum faster in 2012, with a 1:57.32 to her credit from February.

Men 200 fly
Nearly a month after being cleared to compete for a spot on the Olympic team following issues stemming from filing for bankruptcy, Nick D'Arcy is in position to qualify for his first Olympic squad. He qualified first for tomorrow's 200 fly final with a 1:56.56. The swim moves him up to a tie for sixth in the world with Austria's Dinko Jukic.

Christopher Wright took the second seed with a 1:57.36, and Grant Irvine qualified third with a 1:57.96. Travis Nederpelt, who competed in this event in the Beijing Olympics, qualified fourth in 1:58.90.

Lachlan Staples (1:59/.16), John Goo (1:59.78), Declan Potts (1:59.83) and Andrew Cameron (2:00.31) will also compete in the final.

Women 200 IM
Stephanie Rice, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion, will swim in lane four in tomorrow's 200 IM final, qualifying with a 2:12.65. Emily Seebohm posted the second-quickest time with a 2:13.00 and Alicia Coutts will be in third spot with a 2:13.86.

Taylor McKeown (2:14.81), Ellen Fullerton (2:15.61), Ash Scott (2:15.80), Kotuku Ngawati (2:15.95) and Samantha Wilkins (2:16.24) also made the final eight.

MULTI-DISABILITY FINALS
Brenden Hall obliterated his own world record of 4:16.81 in the 400 freestyle for the S9 division with a time of 4:14.67. Hall competed in this event at the 2008 Paralympics and will race it as well in London. Rowan Crothers was second in the race with a 4:29.41 and Jay Dohnt took third in 5:08.46.

Taylor Corry won the women's 50 butterfly event with a 31.00, just out-touching Kayla Clarke, who touched in 31.02. Madeleine Scott was third with a 32.26.

In the women's 400 free, Jacqueline Freney got to the wall first in 5:01.91, while Kara Leo was second with a 4:48.29. Teneale Houghton was third with a 4:48.23.

Tim Antalfy won the men's 50 butterfly race with a 24.99, well ahead of Mitchell Kilduff's 27.44. In third was Sam Braham with a 28.37.

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