Final rounds of the 2011 Telstra Australian Swimming Championship: Day five – Swimming Events
The second session on fifth day of the 2011Telstra Australian Swimming Championship has concluded in Sydney with the semi-finals and finals of six events for Men and Women. The championship witnessed the overwhelming swim of James Magnussen, who confirmed
his spot in the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, this July.
The first event of the session was the Women’s 100m freestyle semi-final, where the arena’s beloved Alicia Coutts dominated the second round of the 100m freestyle in a time of 54.27 seconds and qualified as the fastest swimmer into the final. Her time was
comfortably under the FINA time qualification standard and placed her ahead of 15-year-old, Yolane Kukla, who touched the wall in 54.49 seconds.
The second event of the day was the Men’s 200m Individual Medley was conquered by the Mitch Larkin, who won the gold medal and qualified for China in a time of 1:59.42 minutes. Trinity’s Kenneth To, reached the podium for the silver medal in a time of 2:00.05
minutes and was followed by Leith Brodie, who touched home in 2:00.15 minutes.
In the 200m breast-stroke semi-final, Sally Foster emerged as the fastest swimmer for the finals by clocking a time of 2:26.50 minutes. Nunawading’s Sarah Katsoulis and Mackay’s Rebecca Kemp qualified as the second and third fastest swimmers in 2:27.72 and
2:27.82 minutes, respectively.
The next event was the most important of the championship, where the crowd was stunned by James Magnussen’s dynamic swim that placed him ahead of the Australian great, Eamon Sullivan. Magnussen earned the crown of the 100m freestyle in a time of 48.29 seconds
to confirm his berth for Shanghai. James Robertson won the silver medal and qualified for China in a time of 48.72 seconds, while the four times Australian champion Eamon Sullivan ended third and lost his individual berth to Shanghai in 48.89 seconds. Sullivan
will now assist them in the 4*100m freestyle relay in the World Championships.
Next was the Women’s 200m butterfly final, where Jessicah Schipper conquered the crown in 2:07.78 minutes ahead of the Stephanie Rice and Samantha Hamill, who touched the wall in 2:07.87 and 2:08.79 minutes, respectively. Both Schipper and Rice will now
compete in China, as they clocked a timer under the tough criteria proposed by Australian head coach, Leigh Nugent.
In the Men’s 200m breast-stroke semi-final, Craig Calder qualified as the fastest swimmer into the final with a wonderful timing of 2:14.29 minutes. He was followed by Brenton Rickard and Buster Sykes, who touched the wall for second and third in a time
of 2:16.02 and 2:16.36 minutes, respectively.
The championship will continue for three more days to finalise the Australian team for Shanghai.
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