Geoff Huegill wins 100m butterfly semi-final at the 2011 Telstra Australian Swimming Championship
The 2000 Sydney Olympic’s bronze medalist Geoff Huegill earned the fastest qualification spot at the 2011 Telstra Australian Swimming Championship in Sydney on Wednesday. The championship serves as a two-way platform to provide a chance to national stars
to defend their titles and the selection of competent swimmers to represent Australia at the 2011 Shanghai World Championships in July.
At first, Huegill posted 52.94 seconds to qualify as the fastest swimmer into the semi-finals. Currently, in today’s semi-final, he clocked at 52.44 seconds ahead of the Southport’s Sam Ashby and Chandler’s Jayden Hadler, who qualified as the second and
third fastest swimmers in tomorrow’s final with a time of 52.78 and 52.88 seconds respectively.
Huegill, who finished second behind Matt Targett and failed to gain the title of the 50m butterfly earlier, is now only a step away to conquer the crown of the 100m butterfly and to confirm his individual spot for the 2011 World Championships.
Huegill is the 2000 Sydney Olympics bronze medalist for the 100m butterfly event. He retired in 2006 due to a deteriorating performance but announced his come-back in 2008 and now aims for selection in the Australian squad to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.
He also earned a gold medal in the 100m butterfly and a silver medal in the 50m butterfly at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
He was very excited with his success and said, "Since I made my announcement to go on to London my whole mindset has been on that 100."
While expressing his remarks on the 50m event, Huegill said, "I was happy with my performance (in the 50m)... it was split second behind the time I did at the Commonwealth Games and all things said and done hopefully I'll be able to replicate (my 100m) performances
at this meet.”
Whereas, in the Men’s 50m freestyle, Matt Targett ended in a tie with Matthew Abood, touching the wall in 22.15 seconds and was followed by Cameron Prosser, who touched the wall in 22.30 seconds.
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