{"id":644719,"date":"2026-06-07T22:27:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T05:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=644719"},"modified":"2026-06-08T01:16:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T08:16:56","slug":"aussie-selection-trials-day-1-heats-sam-williamsons-impressive-59-11-to-confirm-hes-well-and-truly-back-after-horrific-training-accident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/aussie-selection-trials-day-1-heats-sam-williamsons-impressive-59-11-to-confirm-hes-well-and-truly-back-after-horrific-training-accident\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie Selection Trials \u2013 Day 1 Heats: Sam Williamson\u2019s Impressive 59.11 To Confirm He\u2019s Well And Truly Back After Horrific Training Accident"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aussie Selection Trials \u2013 Day 1 Heats: Sam Williamson\u2019s Impressive 59.11 To Confirm He\u2019s Well And Truly Back After Horrific Training Accident<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paris Olympian and former breaststroke world champion Sam Williamson<\/strong> has taken just 59.11 seconds at the Australian Swimming Trials in Sydney today to confirm he is well and truly back from an horrific training accident that threatened his career in May last year.<\/p>\n

And in a drama charged session, Kaylee McKeow<\/strong>n, the Olympic bronze medallist in the 200IM withdrew from the event with illness – returning to qualify first in the 50m backstroke – the consequences being that the she could miss the event at the Commonwealth Games depending on whether their are three qualifiers in tonight’s final.<\/p>\n

Twenty-seven-year-old Williamson \u00a0clocked \u00a0his fastest 100m breaststroke time since breaking the Australian All-Comers record twice in one day at the 2024 Olympic Trials \u2013 today\u2019s heat swim just 0.22 outside his own record of 58.80 \u2013 the fastest time swum in Australia.<\/p>\n

Taking a major leap forward as he chases Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific selection in tonight\u2019s final.<\/p>\n

Williamson (Melbourne Vicentre) powered to the wall to register not only the fastest time of the day to lead the qualifiers into tonight\u2019s final but also a top eight time in the world for 2026 and under the Swimming Australia automatic qualifying standard of 59.39 for the Glasgow Games.<\/p>\n

Joshua Collett<\/strong> (Bond, QLD) clocked the second fastest time of 1:00.76, followed by Joshua Andersson<\/strong> (Brisbane Grammar, QLD) 1:00.79.<\/p>\n

But what a comeback from big Sam after suffering a career-threatening ruptured patellar tendon, tearing it off the VMO (vastus medialis oblique) muscle during a routine warm-up jump session.<\/p>\n

It left him with a displaced kneecap, the injury requiring immediate surgery and forcing Williamson to miss the 2025 World Championship Trials, so preventing him from defending his 50m breaststroke world title from 2024.<\/p>\n

But after a long road of rehab and recovery Williamson made his comeback to competition earlier this year, winning the Victorian 50m breaststroke Championship.<\/p>\n

Saying at the time: \u201cIt\u2019s been a pretty big nine months after unfortunately suffering (that) incredible debilitating injury last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just so proud of myself and incredibly proud of the team I\u2019ve got behind me and just getting back up on the blocks tonight was a huge effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m now looking forward to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow\u2026that\u2019s the goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that could well be signed sealed and delivered at t the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre tonight if Williamson can repeat the dose in the final.<\/p>\n

Kaylee McKeown<\/strong> (USC Spartans, QLD) who holds the world record at 26.86, clocked the fastest time of the day of 27.22 in the 50m backstroke heats ahead of Paris teammates Iona Anderson<\/strong> (Highlanders, WA) 27.55 and Mollie O\u2019Callaghan<\/strong> (St Peters Western, QLD) 27.67.<\/p>\n

It followed the Paris bronze medallist\u2019s withdrawal from the 200IM which saw Paris team mate Ella Ramsay<\/strong>(Nunawading, VIC) clock the fastest time of the day with her 2:10.70, ahead of Tara Kinder<\/strong> (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) 2:12.05 and Forrester in 2:13.52.<\/p>\n

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World Champion Breaststroker Sam Williamson Celebrates Successful Return At Victorian State Championships<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n