Kenneth To impresses in Men’s 100m butterfly semi-final – EnergyAustralia SC Championships
Kenneth To of Trinity Grammar impressed in the semi-finals of Men’s 100m butterfly on day one of the 2012 EnergyAustralia Short Course Championships at Challenge Stadium in Perth on Wednesday, September 12.
To, who qualified into the semi-final as fastest swimmer, continued his nerve-wrecking form in the second round and ensured his place in the playoff as top fastest swimmer. He gained a comfortable lead over his opponents from the start and faced no trouble
in securing top position.
With his astonishing efforts in 100m discipline, To enjoyed a lead of one body length over his subsequent swimmer and hit the wall with an effort of 51.27 seconds for first position.
His gruelling effort was chased by Grant Irvine of St Peters Western Swim Club, who was 0.84 seconds behind and transpired on the finishing blockade for second position holder by producing a time of 52.11 seconds.
Irvine was followed by Joseph Carty of SOPAC, NSW, Christopher Wright of Southport Olympic Swimming Club and Phil Butcher of Unattached, VIC, who engaged each other in a neck-to-neck race for third position.
The trio struggled hard to escape each other over the finishing end but failed to do so and ended in a joint finish for third place. They stayed 0.26 seconds slower from their foregoing finisher and surfaced on the wall as third best qualifying swimmers
by submitting a time of 52.37 seconds.
Subsequently, sixth finest spot of the event was obtained by Ryan Steenkamp, who stayed 0.31 seconds slower from his former finishers and touched the wall with an effort of 52.68 seconds.
Steenkamp faced tough competition from Sam McConnell of Sydney Uni, NSW, who suffered a loss of 0.13 seconds from his preceding swimmer and touched the wall with an effort of 52.81 seconds.
McConnell was followed by Mitchell Patterson of Cranbrook, who remained 0.05 seconds behind and qualified into the final round as eighth best finisher by reporting a time of 52.86 seconds.
To was extremely pleased with his performance in the butterfly discipline and aroused hopes of his supporters by claiming that he would prove his dominance for gold medal in the playoff.
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