Kaylee McKeown Continues Record Spree at Drama-Charged NSW State Championships

NSW ALL-COMERS RECORD to Kaylee McKeown at NSW State Championships in Sydney. Photo Courtesy Delly Car

Queensland teenager and Tokyo Olympic hopeful Kaylee McKeown has up-staged Australian swimming’s biggest names on a drama-charged opening night of the NSW State Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

Chalmers on the fly: Kyle Chalmers shows the style that won him the 200mm butterfly. Photo Courtesy: Anthony Burns (Homepix)

It was a night that saw Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers win the 200m butterfy-100m freestyle double and Cate Campbell sensationally disqualified before being re-instated to silver in the 100m freestyle final after a successful protest to the Jury of Appeal.

Chalmers backed up his power-packed morning swims to again signal his intentions in a year that has already been turned on its head and will continue to spin for some time yet in the rocky road towards Tokyo – delivering a 48.28 after a 48.27 heat this morning – both swims after a 200m butterfly.

Then Campbell was sensationally disqualified for moving before the starters signal then it was reversed later in the night and she had another silver medal in her keeping when she anchored the Knox Pymble girls to second in the 4x100m medley relay, pumping out a sizzling split time of 52.81.

“The official line was there was movement on the block before the starting signal but I think I’ve been in the sport long enough to know when I should be disqualified and when I shouldn’t be and I shouldn’t have been,” said Campbell.

“We protested showing the start from various angles and proving there was no movement. I think it’s good that we were able to protest and the right decision has now been made and I am able to maintain a clean slate,” said Campbell.

200m Backstroke medallists: Kaylee McKeown, Minna Atherton and Emily Seebohm. Photo Courtesy: Anthony Burns (Homepix)

But the night belonged to the 18-year-old McKeown from the Sunshine Coast – the girl who won silver in this event behind US teenage super star Regan Smith at last year’s World Championships.

And the 2020 world rankings leader (with her 2:05.83 Australian All Comers record from the South Australian Championships) clocked 2:06.38 – to take 0.02 off the 11-year-old mark set by dual Olympic finalist’s Belinda Hocking’s 2009 time of 2:06.40.

McKeown lined up against a star-studded field, with fellow 2019 World Championship silver medallist in the 100m backstroke and World Short Course world record holder Minna Atherton (Brisbane Grammar) second in 2:08.59 and three-time Olympian and three-time world champion Emily Seebohm (Griffith) third in 2:1012.

Women’s 200m backstroke

Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans) 2:06.38
Minna Atherton (Brisbane Grammar) 2:08.59
Emily Seebohm ( Griffith University) 2:10.12

Chalmers wrote himself into the NSW record books tonight – taking a rare double in the 200m butterfly and backing up to win the 100m freestyle.

Chalmers signaled his intentions during the morning heats with a personal best in the 200m butterfly and his back-up swim to head the qualifiers into the 100m freestyle final.

And he delivered another double dose tonight – taking out the 200m butterfly in 1:57.35 – a similar time many Australian swimming fans can relate to with soon to be Hall of Famer Jon Sieben clocking 1:57.04 to set a new world record and take the Olympic gold in Los Angeles in 1984.

Men’s 200m butterfly

Kyle Chalmers (Marion) 1:57.35
Nicholas Brown (UWA West Coast) 1:59.47
Alex Quach (Auburn) 2:00.14

Before another impressive performance to win the 100m freestyle in 48.28, just 0.01 slower than his heat swim, to beat Japan’s 28-year-old Shinri Shioura (48.90) with Alex Graham I(Bond) 49.19 third and James Roberts (Somerset) fourth in 49.64.

Interested spectators included 1988 US Olympic champion Matt Biondi and 2000 Olympic 4x100m freestyle gold medallist and Swimming NSW president Chris Fydler.

Chalmers looks stronger than ever in the water, brimful of confidence.=

Earlier in the day he spoke of his confidence and rivalry with US world champion Caeleb Dressel

Men’s 100m freestyle

Kyle Chalmers (Marion) 48.28
Shinri Shioura (Japan) 48.90
Alex Graham (Bond) 49.19)

With all eyes on Cate Campbell in the 100m freestyle the unfortunate happened after touching the wall second behind fellow Olympic relay gold medallist Emma McKeon (Griffith University) the scoreboard quickly lit up with the dreaded DQ and an announcement Campbell had moved before the starting signal.

But later in the evening following a successful protest the Jury of Appeal reversed the decision –awarding the silver medal to Campbell.

Taking nothing away from McKeon, who finished strongly over the final 25 metres to power home over Campbell to win the race in a faster time than Campbell’s winning time from 2019.

Emma McKeon (Griffith University) 53.00
Cate Campbell (Knox Pymble) 53.05
Madison Wilson (Marion) 53.50

Earlier in the night McKeon left nothing to chance in the final of the women’s 50m butterfly, zooming out of the blocks to display the technique which has make her one of the world’s finest butterfliers.

Women’s 50m butterfly

EmmaMcKeon (Griffith University) 25.87
Brianna Throssell (UWA West Coast) 26.32
Emily Seebohm (Brisbane Grammar) 26.93

Women’s 400m Individual Medley

Meg Bailey all smiles after winning the women’s 400m IM. Photo Courtesy: Anthony Burns (Homepix)

ailey (Hunter), training under SOPAC-coach Adam Kable, showed why she will be one to watch come the Olympic Trials, winning the 400IM in 4:41.22.

Meg Bailey (Hunter) 4:41.22
Blair Evans (UWA West Coast) 4:45.49
Jacinta Essam (Ginninderra) 4:45.81

Women’s 100m breaststroke

In a blanket finish it was the girl from Bond, World Championships team member and National 200m breaststroke champion, Jenna Strauch who out-touched the field to take the win in 1:08.33.

Jenna Strauch (Bond) 1:08.33
Leiston Pickett (Southport) 1:08.63
Georgia Bohl (Griffith University) 1:08.63

Breaststroke blanket finish (L-R) Jenna Straight, Leiston Pickett, Georgia Bohl. Photo Courtesy: Anthony Burns (Homepix)

Men’s 400m freestyle

Elijah Winnington (Bond) 3:48.69
Alexander Grant (Brisbane Grammar) 3:50.36
Kushagra Rawat (India) 3:52.75

Photo Courtesy: Anthony Burns (Homepix)

Men’s 50m breaststroke

In the men’s 50m breaststroke local boy and former 200m breaststroke world record holder Matthew Wilson (SOPAC) continued to surprise himself taking out the 50m final in 27.96 – just 0.30 outside his own NSW record.

“I didn’t think I’d have that much easy speed in my first races of the season…that’s actually pretty surprising…but I’ll take it,” said Wilson.

1.Matthew Wilson (SOPAC) 27.96

Josh Palmer (Marion) 28.07
Jake Packard (USC Spartans) 28.17

Women’s 800m freestyle

In the women’s 800m freestyle it was Kiah Melverton (TSS Aquatic) who continued her consistent summer, adding another title to her collection from the 2019 Australian Short Course, Queensland and South Australian State Championships, taking the gold medal in 8:31.41.

Kiah Melverton (white cap from TSS Aquatic) adds another State title in the 800m freestyle. Photo Courtesy: Anthony Burns (Homepix)

Her 17-year-old rival and World Junior Champion Lani Pallister (Cotton Tree) led through the first 100m before Melverton took control of the race and as hard as Pallister tried couldn’t bridge the gap, still recording a solid 8:36.63 with Dahlas Rogers (USC Spartans) third in 8:41.64.

Kiah Melverton (TSS Aquatic) 8:31.41
Lani Pallister (Cotton Tree) 8:36.63
Dahlas Rogers (USC Spartans) 8:41.64

Men’s 50m backstroke

William Yang (Loreto Normanhurst) 25.12
Tristan Hollard (Southport Olympic) 26.08
Kai Van Kool (Manly) 26.19

Men’s 50m freestyle Multi-Class

Rowan Crothers S10 (Yeronga Park) 23.44
Oscar Stubbs S13 (SOPAC) 24.89
Jacob Templeman S13 (USC Spartans) 25.61

Men’s 200m IM Multi-Class

Multi-winner. Timothy Hodge (Auburn) winner of the 200IM Multi-Class. Photo Courtesy: Anthony Burns (Homepix)

Timothy Hodge SM9 (Auburn) 2:18.56
Matthew Levy SM7 (North Sydney) 2:37.75
Joshua Alford SM14 (Tuggeranong Vikings) 2:21.65

Women’s 50m freestyle Multi-Class

Katja Dedekind S13 (USC Spartans) 28.01
Corry Taylor S14 (Nelson Bay) 28.36
Ella Jones S8 (Springwood) 32.64

Women’s 200m IM Multi-Class

Keira Stephens SM10 (Hervey Bay) 2:38.61
Taylor Corry SM14 (Nelson Bay) 2:35.28
Mei Ichinose SM9 (USC Spartans) 2:43.48

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Sara Stacy

4 years ago

Elizabeth Taylor

4 years ago

Reply to Sara Stacy

Sara Stacy I didn’t even know this was on

Troyy

4 years ago

Impressive PB from Madison Wilson (53.50) if she’s not rested at all. That 50 fly by McKeon was also a PB I believe and the 53.00 also her best in season 100 free ever. Girls are looking so sharp it’ll be a shame if the Olympics don’t go ahead.

Haig Buckingham also took the top spot in the all time 15 year old’s ranking with that 50 breast (29.06).

Bill Strömberg

4 years ago

Did judges use video to check the dq ?!

Jian Joey Wang

4 years ago

Nick Westaway Mark Helliwell-Holmes we saw this

Mark Helliwell-Holmes

4 years ago

Reply to Jian Joey Wang

Jian Joey Wang Nick Westaway this explains a lot!

commonwombat

4 years ago

McKeon is usually quick “in season” but 53dead is certainly a step above. C1 is frequently sub53 “in season” but being “rolled” by McKeon is slightly surprising but perhaps shouldn’t be as she IS an legit intl factor in this event.

Pleasing 100 time from Chalmers but slightly disappointing not to any other AUS sub49. Nice 200fly PB but he’s not realistically swimming this for selection.

Pleasing 200back from McKeown Jr. First real LCM outing for Atherton post stellar SCM ISL; not her best event so will wait for 100 to see if any LCM flow-ons from her SCM break-out.

What was overlooked was Hansen’s 1.06.95 100brs in morning heats. Scratched the final but this time does better AUS Olympic QT.

swimlife

4 years ago

Why is this meet still running when most others have been cancelled?