SYDNEY, Australia, March 24. THE third day of the Australian Trials might not have witnessed a world record, after three such occasions occurred during the first two nights. However, two major events happened \u2013 both in the backstroke events. <\/p>\n
A female under 1:00 in the 100 back will not be representing her country in the event at the Olympics, while Australian backstroke star Matt Welsh could not earn a third Olympic berth and has since retired from the sport.<\/p>\n
Women's 200 free semis<\/b>
\nStephanie Rice, who shocked the world by crushing the women's 400 IM world record earlier this week, topped qualifying in the event with a time of 1:57.31, the 12th-fastest in the events history and the second-best in Australia. She nearly grabbed the Australian record of 1:57.06 held by Libby Trickett (formerly Lenton). Rice, however, will sit out finals to focus on the 200 IM. Bronte Barratt is the beneficiary of that move as she will be the top seed with a 1:57.66.<\/p>\n
Men's 200 free finals<\/b>
\nGrant Hackett used a remarkable last 50 meters with a 26.56 down the stretch to touch out Kenrick Monk, 1:47.03 to 1:47.10, to claim the 200 free title. <\/p>\n
"What can you say? There's no words to explain how excited I am just to get on the Olympic team," Monk told Swimming Australia<\/i>. "No matter where I came tonight, to get on that Olympic team was my main goal and I've done that."<\/p>\n
Nicholas Sprenger will wind up taking an Olympic berth with a third-place time of 1:47.17 as Hackett withdrew the race from his Olympic schedule.<\/p>\n
The rest of Australia's 800 freestyle relay participants will be Leith Brodie (1:47.47), Patrick Murphy (1:47.50) and Grant Brits (1:47.56).<\/p>\n
Women's 100 back finals<\/b>
\nThe first major hard-luck loser of the Trials season happened in the women's 100 back. Would anyone, just a year ago when the sub-1:00 club included Natalie Coughlin and Laure Manaudou, have thought that a sub-1:00 women's backstroker would not be representing her country in the stroke?<\/p>\n
The sub-1:00 club grew to eight as Sophie Edington and Belinda Hocking joined compatriot Emily Seebohm as the three Australians now under the minute barrier.<\/p>\n
Seebohm, who earlier went 59.78 in semis, smashed her Commonwealth record with a 59.59 in finals to become the fifth-fastest in the event. Only Coughlin (59.21), Anastasia Zueva (59.41), Kirsty Coventry (59.42) and Manaudou (59.50) are faster.<\/p>\n
Edington, meanwhile, snagged the other Olympic berth from Australia with a time of 59.84, to become the seventh-fastest ever, behind Hayley McGregory (59.81), while Hocking became the eighth member of the club with a 59.97.<\/p>\n
"I can finally say I'll be an Olympian and I can't wait, I'm excited already," Seebohm told Swimming Australia<\/i>. "I came in tonight heaps nervous, I forgot my suit, I bought the one with rip in it and when I got out there I was really nervous but I tried to psych myself down a little, singing to myself (but now), Natalie Coughlin, I'm coming."<\/p>\n
Men's 100 back finals<\/b>
\nAshley Delaney clocked a national record in the event with a 53.68 to become the ninth-fastest ever in the event. He was joined by Hayden Stoeckel, who will be taking his first Olympic trip after a second-place time of 53.86.<\/p>\n
Matt Welsh, previously the top Australian in the event, finished third in 54.21. He announced after the event that he will be retiring from the sport.<\/p>\n
"I didn't think I was going that fast to be honest but I looked up and it was an Australian record \u2013 I'm still in a little bit of shock to be honest," Delaney told Swimming Australia<\/i>. "My mum (Sue, who passed away) was so special and I dedicate this swim to her, I wish she was here watching me, it would be awesome, I know she would love it. All my swimming is for her and I just wanted to get out there tonight and give it my best shot – she would have loved that."<\/p>\n
Women's 100 breast finals<\/b>
\nAfter holding back in semis with a 1:07.48, world-record holder Leisel Jones scorched the field with a time of 1:05.75. That stands as the fifth-fastest time in the event, all five of which Jones owns.<\/p>\n
Jones' main opponent in Australia Tarnee White, who has been pushing the Lethal one this entire past year, wound up second with a time of 1:06.46 \u2013 off her 1:06.04 from semis. The 1:06.04 made White the second-fastest in the event ever.<\/p>\n
"There's only two lucky ones , there's only two spots available, so It wasn't hard to get fired up and get nervous and get excited about it, because I mean if you're not then you're in real trouble," Jones told Swimming Australia<\/i>. "You only get that one shot at the team, I mean it's anyone's position and if you're not hungry enough people will take it, so you have to be really desperate."<\/p>\n
Men's 200 fly semis<\/b>
\nNick D'Arcy set an Australian record in the 200 fly with a swift effort of 1:56.16. That clipped the previous standard of 1:56.17 held by Justin Norris since 2000. Travis Nederpelt finished second in 1:57.71, while Joshua Krogh took third in 1:58.69.<\/p>\n
"I was hoping to do something like that in the finals but to end up doing that in the semi, it's just an awesome confidence booster," D'Arcy told Swimming Australia<\/i>. "Hopefully the record stands for a little while – at least until the finals tomorrow night! This will be my first Olympics if I make the team, which I'm kind of really wanting to do at the moment. It is what I've been training for my whole life and if I make it hopefully more things could come in Beijing."<\/p>\n
Women's 200 IM semis<\/b>
\nAlicia Coutts claimed the top spot in finals with a time of 2:13.98 to become the sixth-fastest Australian in the event. She will battle newly-minted world-record holder Stephanie Rice, who qualified second in 2:14.10. Shayne Reese (2:14.41) and Lara Carroll (2:15.54) will also be pushing for Olympic spots.<\/p>\n
Special thanks to Swimming Australia for contributing to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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