Australian swimmers shine at the 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships – Part 10
After the conclusion of sixth day of the championship, the audience had their sight affixed on the seventh day of the 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships. The exhausting efforts of Australian swimmers continued on day seven as many of them still had to prove their mettle and make their in the Australian squad for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The seventh day of the tournament featured 50m breaststroke, 100m butterfly, 50m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 800m freestyle, 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke in Men and Women’s category.
The initial event of the evening session was Women’s 50m breaststroke semi-final, where Leiston Pickett demonstrated her impeccable efforts and occupied top qualification spot of the event. With her sterling performance, she remained almost half a body length ahead of her following swimmer and clocked a time of 31.28 seconds to enter the final round.
Her fastest qualification effort remained 1.48 seconds away from the world record of USA’s Jessica Hardy, who posted 29.80 seconds during August 2009. Her gruelling effort was also 1.12 seconds slower from the Australian and Commonwealth Games record of 30.16 seconds, set by Sarah Katsoulis of Nunawading in 2009.
The 20-year-old Pickett was trailed by the defending champion, Sarah Katsoulis, who stayed 0.54 seconds apart and hit the finishing blockade with the timing of 31.82 seconds to qualify into the final round. The 27-year-old Katsoulis was followed by Lorna Tonks, who stayed just a touch away from her on the finishing wall and clocked a timing of 31.89 seconds.
In the meantime, the crowd witnessed an immaculate effort of Christopher Wright in the Men’s 100m butterfly final. The 23-year-old Wright, who qualified into the playoff as top fastest swimmer, continued his supremacy in the playoff and booked his spot in the Australian team to the 2012 London Olympic Games by claiming gold medal of the discipline in a time of 51.67 seconds.
Wright’s magnificent effort remained almost two strokes behind the world mark of 49.82 seconds, made by Michael Phelps of USA in 2009. He was also 0.82 seconds slower from the Australian record of 50.85 seconds, made by Andrew Lauterstein in 2009.
His gold winning effort remained almost two strokes ahead of Jayden Hadler, who also secured his berth to London by posting a time of 52.09 seconds for the silver medal of the discipline. The 18-year-old Hadler was followed by Matthew Targett, who proved his eligibility for third position by producing a time of 52.24 seconds.
The third event of the session was Men’s 50m freestyle playoff, where none other than Australian great freestyle sprinter, James Magnussen once again stepped on the podium for gold medal by clocking a time of 21.74 seconds. Magnussen’s phenomenal effort remained almost one second behind the world record of 20.91 seconds, owned by Cesar Cielo of Brazil from 2009.
His alluring effort remained almost two strokes ahead of his following rival, Eamon Sullivan, who settled on the finishing end for second position by posting 21.92 seconds. Sullivan was trailed by Matthew Abood, who remained just 0.02 seconds slower from confirming his place to London and tapped the wall as third best swimmer with the timing of 21.94 seconds.
The crowd was overjoyed with Magnussen’s hefty accomplishment as he will now represent his nation in the 50m and 100m freestyle disciplines at the upcoming Olympic Games.
To be continued in Part 11.
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