MELBOURNE, Australia, January 7. THE fourth day of swimming at the Victorian Championships came and went in Melbourne, Australia with some swift swims on hand for the fans in attendance.<\/p>\n
Leisel Jones responded to a loss in the 50 breast with a win in the 100, while Kate Ziegler and Grant Hackett each claimed distance freestyle titles.<\/p>\n
Women's Events<\/b>
\n100 breast finals<\/b>
\nAfter taking a rare loss against Tarnee White in the 50 breast event earlier in the meet, Lethal Leisel Jones exacted her revenge in the longer 100 distance. Jones posted the lone 1:06 time of finals with a winning readout of 1:06.49. Meanwhile, White settled for silver with a 1:07.38. Sarah Katsoulis had the best seat in the house to watch the pair duke it out when she took third in 1:08.76.<\/p>\n
50 free finals<\/b>
\nChandler teammates Jodie Henry and Alice Mills provided the fans an exciting finish in the women's splash-and-dash. Henry, who fought off an illness to compete, touched first in 25.39, while Mills took second in 25.42. Sally Foster wound up third in 25.81 to complete the 25-second performances.<\/p>\n
800 free finals<\/b>
\nKate Ziegler smashed the field in the women's 800 free with a time of 8:28.66. She continues to amaze with her ability to be consistent throughout a race. Here are her splits:<\/p>\n
29.10, 1:00.46 (31.36), 1:32.29 (31.83), 2:04.33 (32.04), 2:36.18 (31.85), 3:08.17 (31.99), 3:40.22 (32.05), 4:12.26 (32.04), 4:44.20 (31.94), 5:16.09 (31.89), 5:48.43 (32.34), 6:20.77 (32.34), 6:53.41 (32.64), 7:26.00 (32.59), 7:58.65 (32.65), 8:28.66 (30.01)<\/p>\n
United States teammate Katie Gardocki, 16, cut her seed time by seven seconds to place second in 8:42.31, while Ashley Evans, 15, gave the U.S. a medal sweep in 8:43.43.<\/p>\n
Notably, China's Zhou Li Li, 13, and Zhou Jie, 17, took fourth and fifth with times of 8:51.93 and 8:55.81.<\/p>\n
100 back semis<\/b>
\nBelinda Hocking, 17, surged to the top seed heading into finals with a top time of 1:01.47. China's Zhou Yan Xin, 17, and Chen Wen, 15, touched second and third with times of 1:03.21 and 1:03.32, while Fran Adcock placed fourth in 1:03.90.<\/p>\n
50 fly semis<\/b>
\nFelicity Galvez is really enjoying herself at the meet, as she clocked another top-flight time. This time, she touched out Marieke Guehrer, 27.08 to 27.11, for the top spot in the 50 fly finals. Lauren Harrington, 15, of the United States placed third in 27.60, while Great Britain's Ellen Gandy, 16, finished fourth in 27.75.<\/p>\n
Men's Events<\/b>
\n400 free finals<\/b>
\nGrant Hackett dominated the middle distance event with a time of 3:49.31, well ahead of the field. He posted the following splits en route to victory:<\/p>\n
26.39, 55.01 (28.62), 1:24.46 (29.45), 1:53.69 (29.23), 2:23.21 (29.52), 2:52.73 (29.52), 3:21.56 (28.83), 3:49.31 (27.75)<\/p>\n
"My 1500m is at its best when my 400m is at its best, so they work hand in hand," Hackett told The Herald Sun<\/i>. "My ability to swim a fast 400m at the start of the meet pretty much indicates where my 1500m is at also. Therefore I'm trying to get this swim (400m) down as quick as I can and to be around my best at trials will be great." <\/p>\n
The United States owned the second through fifth slots as the National Junior Team excelled in the race. Jackson Wilcox finished second in 3:58.08, while Bobby Bollier placed third in 3:58.61. Thomas Shields, 16, touched fourth in 3:58.66, while Joe Ziegler, 17, took fifth in 4:01.86.<\/p>\n
100 back finals<\/b>
\nDaniel Arnamnart continued his strong meet with a win in the 100 back. He torched the field with a swift time of 54.95, while Ethan Rolff grabbed second in 57.27. The United States' Austin Surhoff, 17, rounded out the top three in 57.32.<\/p>\n
50 free finals<\/b>
\nAshley Callus beat out SwimmingWorldMagazine.com<\/b> special correspondent Nick Brunelli, 22.51 to 22.62, in the men's splash-and-dash event. Meanwhile, Jono Newton pocketed third place with a time of 22.91.<\/p>\n
100 fly semis<\/b>
\nAdam Pine, 31, provided some veteran experience in the 100 fly semis with a top qualifying time of 54.19. Garth Kates finished second in 54.26, while Bobby Bollier (54.27) and Tim Phillips (54.65) of the United States qualified third and fourth.<\/p>\n
50 breast semis<\/b>
\nJames Stacey paced the semifinal field with a top time of 29.66 in the 50 breast, while Stuart Ferguson, 16, of the United States finished second in 29.79. Ben Geard took third in 29.89, while Curtis Lovelace of the U.S. placed fourth in 29.93.<\/p>\n
Multi-Disability Events<\/b>
\nSam Braham took home the men's 50 free crown in 27.88, while Ellie Cole touched first in the women's 50 back in 34.83. Bryce Glover then won the men's 100 breast in 1:13.07, while Prue Watt took home the crown in the women's 100 fly with a 1:10.59.<\/p>\n
Relays<\/b>
\nThe United States foursome of Joe Ziegler (1:53.29), Jackson Wilcox (1:54.26), Robert Andrews (1:52.33) and Thomas Shields (1:50.98) won the men's 800 free relay in 7:30.86, while the CA Tritons team of Grace Loh (1:05.67), Leisel Jones (1:07.63), Alanna Turner (1:02.11) and Shayne Reese (55.44) touched first in the women's 400 medley relay with a time of 4:10.85.<\/p>\n