Australian swimmers shine at the 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships – Part 9
After the superb performances of Mitch Larkin, Belinda Hocking, and Daniel Tranter in their exclusive events, only three events were left in the sixth day of the 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimming championships.
The championship acted as the Australian Selection Trials for the 2012 London Olympic Games and was subject to conclude the Australian swimming team, which will compete at these Games. The crowd admired ruthless efforts of all participants in their respective events while they could not wait to see their favourite stars dominating their main events.
The third last event of the session was Women’s 200m breaststroke final, where Tessa Wallace went on a rampage and occupied top position of the discipline. Wallace, who qualified into the final round as fourth finest swimmer, elevated her pace in the final round and reached the finishing wall first to book her place to London.
The 18-year-old Wallace made her way to the podium for gold medal by clocking a time of 2 minutes and 26.31 seconds. Her effort remained almost six seconds slower from the world record of 2 minutes and 20.12 seconds, owned by Annamay Pierse of Canada from 2009. Her gold winning effort was also 5.77 seconds behind the Australian and Commonwealth Games mark of 2 minutes and 20.54 seconds, set by Leisel Jones in 2006.
Nevertheless, the champion was followed by Sally Foster, who stayed just one stroke slower from her former finisher and qualified for London Games by snaring silver medal of the event with the timing of 2 minutes and 26.51 seconds.
Taylor McKeown remained almost two strokes slower from her former finisher and reached the medal rostrum for bronze medal by clocking 2 minutes and 26.90 seconds. Subsequently, the crowd was stunned with the sluggish effort of 26-year-old Jones, who failed to defend her national title and tapped the wall as fourth best swimmer with the timing of 2 minutes and 27.62 seconds.
Next was Men’s 50m breaststroke semi-final, where Christian Sprenger upset the defending champion, Brenton Rickard as he qualified into the playoff as top contender for gold medal with the timing of 27.66 seconds.
His effort remained 0.99 seconds slower from the world mark of 26.67 seconds, made by Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa in 2009.
The 26-year-old Sprenger was trailed by Rickard, who remained considerably slower from him and posted a time of 28.24 seconds to enter the final round. The 28-year-old Rickard was chased by Max Ireland, who stayed slightly slower from Rickard and qualified into the playoff as third fastest swimmer with the timing of 28.42 seconds.
Last event of the session was Women’s 50m butterfly semi-final, which was trailed by Jessicah Schipper. The 25-year-old Schipper entered the final round as finest swimmer by hitting the wall in a time of 26.59 seconds. Schipper remained almost 1.50 seconds slower from the world record of 25.07 seconds, made by Therese Alshammar of Sweden in 2009.
She was followed by Brianna Throssell, who stayed just a nail away and posted a time of 26.61 seconds to qualify for the final. She was chased by Stephanie Rice, who just recovered from her shoulder surgery, remained just an inch slower from her preceding swimmer and posted an effort of 26.98 seconds to qualify for the final round.
To be continued in Part 10.
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