Wollongong teenager Emma McKeon has continued to out sprint her more fancied rivals at the FINA World Cup series at the Water Cube in Beijing on Wednesday night, helping Australia to a total of six gold medals on the first day of finals.
Wollongong teenager Emma McKeon has continued to out sprint her more fancied rivals at the FINA World Cup series at the Water Cube in Beijing on Wednesday night, helping Australia to a total of six gold medals on the first day of finals.
The 17-year-old sprinter, who made her senior debut at the World Short Course Championships in Dubai last year after contesting the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, was just 0.01 of a second too quick for seasoned short course swimmer Therese Alshammar from Sweden in the women’s 50m freestyle, winning in a new personal best time of 24.15.
Turning first at the 25m mark of the splash and dash 50m free, McKeon powered home in lane 5 to swim the sixth fastest time of all-time by an Australian, while Cate Campbell picked up another bronze in the Water Cube to add to her Olympic medal in a time of 24.26.
Fellow Aussie’s Olivia Halicek (24.64), Merindah Dingjan (24.75) and Libby Trickett (24.96) finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
“I didn’t expect to go that fast tonight so it was a good surprise,” said McKeon.
“My favoured event is the 100m freestyle so to get a win in the 50m is a bonus.”
West Australian Blair Evans picked up a golden double in the women’s 200m freestyle, having taken the title in Singapore last weekend hitting the wall in new personal best time of 1:54.81.
The Commonwealth Games relay gold medallist dropped more than half a second in the event from her time in Singapore to take gold from Merindah Dingjan (1:55.03) and Queensland’s Kylie Palmer in 1:55 .75.
“That swim was very close, if not a PB for me and I’m obviously very happy with the swim,” said Evans.
“My goal was to build through the three meets and I’m getting faster as I go so everything seems to be on track.”
Queenslander Kyle Richardson picked up his first gold medal of the world cup series, and the first of the night for Australia in the men’s 100m freestyle, smashing into the wall in 47.38 just 0.01 of a second ahead of series leader Chad Le Clos from South Africa.
A silver medallist behind Cameron McEvoy in Singapore (47.33), Richardson improved on his 47.46 swim from the weekend to lead from start to finish and snatch gold from Clos. Australia’s Andrew Lauterstein, a late inclusion in the race after finishing ninth this morning, finished fifth in 48.91.
In the men’s 100m IM Richardson was just 0.20 of a second off the pace for gold behind multiple title holder Le Clos. Richardson hit the wall in 53.09 with the South African wining from lane 1 in 52.82.
Fellow Queenslander Leiston Pickett also improved on her time from Singapore in the women’s 100m breaststroke final to take gold in a time of 1:05.09. Pickett was half a second quicker than Korean Kim Hye Jin who took silver in 1:06.01.
Christian Sprenger continued his success over the 50m breaststroke winning in 26.64 with Brenton Rickard picking up bronze in 26.83. Sprenger’s time was 0.03 of a second quicker than he swam in Singapore last Friday for gold. Rickard picked up a second bronze of the night in the 200m breast in 2:06.17 while Ellen Fullerton finished sixth in the final of the 200m IM in 2:11.11. In the women’s 200m backstroke Mikkayla Sheridan finished seventh in 2:08.31.
The women’s 100m butterfly final saw Swede Therese Alshammar grab another gold medal in a time of 55.76 with Jessicah Schipper and Libby Trickett finishing sixth and seventh respectively. Schipper hit the wall in 58.58 while Trickett hit the wall just a fraction behind in 58.59.
Melbourne’s Rachel Goh was just 0.08 of a second off five consecutive gold medals in the 50m backstroke at the world cup with China’s Zhao Jing taking the title. Goh’s time of 26.60 was her best of the series so far, but a touch behind Jing from China who took gold in 26.52. Fellow Melbourne Vicentre swimmer Grace Loh finished sixth in 27.46.
Le Clos continued his golden streak in the 200m butterfly with Queenslander Chris Wright judging his swim well to snatch silver from Chen Weiwu of China. The South African hit the wall in a controlled 1:51.74 with Wright finishing second in 1:55.32 ahead of Weiwu (1:53.58). Travis Nederpelt finished eighth in 1:59.42.
It the men’s 400m freestyle it was an all Chinese field except for Wollongong born Bobby Hurley. The Brant Best coached middle distance swimmer, controlled his race to perfection to win in a time of 3:41.93. Having to reel in China’s Hao Yun (3:42.13) who went out over the first 100m a second under world record pace, Hurley showed good maturity to measure his race and pick up gold for Australia.
The final event of the night saw Gold Coaster Sam Ashby pick up silver in the 50m butterfly in a time of 23.51 with Andrew Lauterstein fourth in 23.79 and Tim Antalfy eighth overall in 24.08.
Tomorrow’s Day 2 heats session from Beijing will start at 1200hrs AEST.
For full results go to www.omegatiming.com
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Swimming Australia