{"id":469883,"date":"2021-04-16T23:37:27","date_gmt":"2021-04-17T06:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=469883"},"modified":"2021-04-17T07:13:59","modified_gmt":"2021-04-17T14:13:59","slug":"australian-championships-mitch-larkin-works-on-michael-phelps-and-ryan-lochte-weaponry-as-he-ponders-a-tough-choice-200-back-or-200-im","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/australian-championships-mitch-larkin-works-on-michael-phelps-and-ryan-lochte-weaponry-as-he-ponders-a-tough-choice-200-back-or-200-im\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie Champs: Mitch Larkin Works On Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte Weaponry As He Ponders A Tough Choice \u2013 200 back or 200 IM?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mitch Larkin Works On Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte Weaponry As He Ponders A Tough Choice \u2013 200 back or 200 IM?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mitch Larkin<\/strong> is working on the underwater weapons used so successfully by Michael Phelps <\/strong>and Ryan Lochte<\/strong> as he plots \u201ccampaign Tokyo\u201d \u2013 the 200 backstroke or the 200m individual medley?<\/p>\n

It follows another dominant performance to win the 200 IM at the Australian Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast today.<\/p>\n

\"Larkin

BREATH STROKE: Mitch Larkin “sucking in the big ones” on his way to IM gold Photo Courtesy:Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)<\/p><\/div>\n

His third National IM win (2011, 2019, 2021) came the morning after his powerhouse 200m backstroke time of 1:54.38 (second in the world for 2021) in the heats of the event he calls \u201cmy baby.”<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old from St Peters Western (SPW) fired off a 1:56.74 (No 1 in the world for 2020) for the 200IM, admitting he arrived at the pool feeling \u201csore and sorry for himself\u201d after leaving nothing in the pool in the backstroke.<\/p>\n

But Larkin must decide, which one? He will only swim one of these events in Tokyo and at the June Olympic Trials as he continues to ponder a complicated Tokyo<\/a> campaign that sees both the 200m backstroke and IM on the same day \u2013 one of them will have to go.<\/p>\n

And this last 24 hours has provided Larkin and his coach at St Peters Western Dean Boxall<\/strong> an opportunity for Larkin to \u201cempty the tank\u201d in both races \u2013 but probably not making their decision any easier \u2013 although maybe, just maybe he is shading towards his “baby\u201d \u2013 the 200m backstroke.<\/p>\n

Backing up after clocking a his best time in over five years to an IM that he has been working on diligently since returning to the SPW program and coach Boxall.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would rather focus on one event and do it well than two events and do them average,\u201d admitted Larkin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to say I did take a lot away from my \u2018two back\u2019 last night \u2013 I had not been within my best in five or six years. And I have said this all along the \u2018two back\u2019 is my baby so to be there again is pretty fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

THE PHELPS AND LOCHTE SHOW: Ryan Lochte and MichaelPhelps pushed themselves to the limit. Photo Courtesy: Richard Lautens.<\/p><\/div>\n

He did not hold back in the IM saying: \u201cI\u2019ve been practicing that last turn to (make sure) I do a couple of kicks just like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been their secret weapon and I\u2019m trying to replicate that as much as I can..It\u2019s about emptying the tank and over the next eight weeks we\u2019ll look at the skills, look at the stroke, look at the technique and see what we can work on from there.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPhelps and Lochte were incredible and I don\u2019t think Lochte gets enough credit for just how good he is. I watched them race at the 2011 Worlds and just how far (ahead of their time) they were and they are still miles in front.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"EMMA

SPEED TO BURN: Emma McKeon racing at her best at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)<\/p><\/div>\n

After Emma McKeon<\/strong><\/a> (Griffith University) won her sixth 100m butterfly crown in a sizzling 56.44 (26.15) \u2013 the second fastest time in the world for 2021 (behind American 16-year-old Claire Curzon\u2019s 56.20, she said: \u201cThe 50m split of 26.15 is where I want to be going out but I would like to come back a bit quicker; I\u2019m working on my back end at the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got good early speed so when I rest up that will come a bit easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that once I rest and also get a few more months of training in I know I can swim a bit quicker.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I knew my time would be around there…because my 100m freestyle was right on my pb. and I\u2019ve been training more freestyle than butterfly….so hopefully doing more fly will help me later on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TITMUS

LIKE A TIGER: Ariarne Titmus ready to pounce in the 400m freestyle. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)<\/p><\/div>\n

World champion Ariarne Titmus<\/strong> (SPW) went so close to the 4 minutes in her third straight 400m win at the Nationals, winning in 4:01.34 – a time only bettered by her nemesis, American,\u00a0 Katie Ledecky<\/strong> and saying: \u201cFor me now I know what a 400m should feel like in terms of rates and my breathing pattern (and that) feeling in the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s something I had forgotten a little bit; I was nervous coming into this race…whether I was going out hard enough.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI lost a little bit of that confidence especially with my (shoulder) injury but I feel like I got that back today.<\/p>\n

\u201cRacing well gives you the biggest confidence leading into the next meet…I\u2019m happy that I\u2019ve ticked off what I needed to do here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ELIJAH

BATTLE ROYAL: Elijah Winnington kept Thomas Neill at bay. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)<\/p><\/div>\n

Her club mate Elijah Winnington<\/strong> staged a battle royal with four-time World Junior medallist Thomas Neill <\/strong>(Rackley) in the 400m freestyle before holding on to defend his title in an outstanding time 3:45.69 \u2013 under the Australian Olympic qualifying time to 18-year-old Neill\u2019s 3:46.35 (only just outside).<\/p>\n

Although Winnington, with his sights set on the 200 and 400m at the Olympic Trials wasn\u2019t altogether happy with the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs bad as it sounds I\u2019m actually a little bit disappointed with that race; I actually went faster at the NSW Championships a month ago…the plan was to keep getting faster as the months go on,\u201d said Winnington, who admitted the men\u2019s 400m freestyle is probably one of the most hotly contested events in swimming.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are four of us who can go under the Olympic qualifying time<\/p>\n

which is pretty much unheard of in an individual event.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut first and foremost it is just getting on the team and what comes with that and with being an Australian and being in the team for a race like this you are in medal contention.\u201d<\/p>\n

And on Olympic champion Mack Horton<\/strong>, who withdrew from the event ?<\/p>\n

\u201c(Mack) is the reigning Olympic champion and he (also) had a sluggish meet at 2019 Worlds Trials and look what he did at Worlds \u2013 you can\u2019t count him out; I will have to prepared that he will be \u201con\u201d come Olympic Trials.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut my first goal is to get my ticket to Tokyo and then we\u2019ll take it from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"KAYLEE

WHAT A PEARLER: Kaylee McKeown on the fly in the 200IM. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)<\/p><\/div>\n

Kaylee McKeown<\/strong> (USC Spartans) clocked a world class time of 2:09.78 to win the 200IM after opting out of her main event, the 200m backstroke, leaving it to three-time world champion Emily Seebohm<\/strong> (Griffith University) who also clocked a a world top ten time of 2:07.46 and is right on track for a red hot crack at a fourth Olympics – doing everything in her power at 28, to swim her way into the history books.<\/p>\n

The Griffith Uni swimmer was joined on the podium by training mate Jessica Unicomb,<\/strong> who posted 2:13.27, and Rackley\u2019s Tahlia Thornton<\/strong>\u00a0(2:16.97).<\/p>\n

\"TEMPLE

MATT FINISH: Nunawading’s Matt Temple thumbs up for his first National title in the 100m butterfly. Photo Courtesy:<\/p><\/div>\n

After placing second on the podium in the men\u2019s 200m butterfly, Nunawading\u2019s Matthew Temple<\/strong> went one better to triumph in the 100m butterfly.<\/p>\n

Posting a very competitive time of 51.83, Temple edged out Abbotsleigh\u2019s fast finishing Shaun Champion<\/strong> (52.17) and Nunawading teammate, 200m winner Bowen Gough<\/strong> (53.01).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tristan Hollard<\/strong> (Southport Olympic), having already picked up the 100m backstroke crown, added to his haul on Saturday, with a personal best time of 1:56.40 in the 200m backstroke from Ty Hartwell<\/strong> (Chandler) took the silver spot in 1:58.73 and Bradley Woodward<\/strong> (Mingara) the bronze in 1:58.76.<\/p>\n

\"HOLLARD\"

DOUBLE BACK: A popular backstroke double for Southport Olympic local Tristan Hollard who added the 200m backstroke to his 100m win – A case of while the cat’s away? Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mitch Larkin Works On Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte Weaponry As He Ponders A Tough Choice \u2013 200 back or 200 IM? Mitch Larkin is working on the underwater weapons<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7938,"featured_media":469884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,122075],"tags":[65138,51034,51037,66807,35726,27550,27538,56727,25031,51047,25316,88615,6302,34441,19138,89423,125599,77619,88356,77837],"class_list":["post-469883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-oceania","tag-ariarne-titmus","tag-bowen-gough","tag-bradley-woodward","tag-dean-boxall","tag-elijah-winnington","tag-emily-seebohm","tag-emma-mckeon","tag-jessica-unicomb","tag-katie-ledecky","tag-kaylee-mckeown","tag-mack-horton","tag-matthew-temple","tag-michael-phelps","tag-mitch-larkin","tag-ryan-lochte","tag-shaun-champion","tag-tahlia-thornton","tag-thomas-neill","tag-tristan-hollard","tag-ty-hartwell"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nAustralian 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