Tokyo 2020 felt closer than ever this weekend, with 15 athletics superstars selected to the Tokyo 2020 team, Aussie Dolphins claiming triple national titles, shooters finding the podium and surfers catching some big waves at the Narrabeen Classic.
ATHLETICS - Australian Athletics Championship closes with broken records and tickets to Tokyo
Fifteen athletics champions smashed records, recorded Tokyo qualifiers and jumped to new heights on their way to being selected to the Tokyo 2020 Team.
With all athletes having achieved Tokyo 2020 qualifying results, the selected athletes include nine debutants, four named to their second Games, and Genevieve Gregson and Dani Stevens making a third and fourth Olympic Team respectively.
One moment she's winning the national title and breaking the Australian high jump record with a massive 2m jump, and an hour later she's selected for her debut Olympic Team at #Tokyo2020! What a day for @NMcDermott198 🙌🙌 #TokyoTogether @AthsAust pic.twitter.com/Tc7svjnHYX
— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) April 18, 2021
The selections come off the back of an outstanding summer of athletics, with the 15 athletes featuring national record-holders Nina Kennedy, Catriona Bisset, Linden Hall, Ash Moloney, Dani Stevens, Genevieve Gregson, Brooke Stratton and high jumper Nicola McDermott, who became the first Australian woman to clear 2 metres just hours before her official selection to Tokyo.
SWIMMING - Chalmers, Titmus and McKeown claim triple national titles
The Australian Dolphins swim team put the world on notice at the 2021 Australian Swimming Championships – especially Tokyo Olympic hopefuls Kyle Chalmers, Ariarne Titmus and Kaylee McKeown who each claimed three individual national crowns on the Gold Coast.
On the final day of racing, Rio Olympic Champion Kyle Chalmers won the men’s 50m freestyle in 22.30, to add to his 100m freestyle (48.04) and 200m freestyle (1:47.03) crowns from earlier in the meet.
Ariarne Titmus scored gold in the 800m freestyle (8:23.13) on the final day of racing, adding to her 200m freestyle (1:55.42) and 400m freestyle (4:01.34) national crowns.
Youth Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown also claimed 3 Australian titles during the week, taking home gold in the women’s 50 backstroke (27.45), 100m backstroke (58.60) and 200m individual medley (2:09.78). She set a new All Comers record in the 50m backstroke on Saturday, ahead of triple Olympian Emily Seebohm in silver and Madi Wilson in bronze.
SHOOTING - Coles claims gold at NSW ISSF Shotgun State titles
Tokyo 2020 selected Skeet Shooter, Laura Coles claimed gold at the NSW ISSF Shotgun State titles at the Newcastle Lake Macquarie Target Club on Sunday.
Coles hit 50 from 60 targets in the final to defeat South Australia’s Bridget McKinnon (40/60) and NSW’s Suzy Balogh (32/60).
In the women’s Trap final, Victorian teenager Kiara Dean caused a boilover when snaring the gold medal ahead of Tokyo Olympic Games team members Laetisha Scanlan and Penny Smith.
Dean, the 19-year-old National Pathways Squad member, held her nerve in the final stages to down 40/50 targets when beating 2016 Rio Olympian, Scanlan (39/50), and Smith (30/50).
Another Victorian, Mitch Iles backed up his recent victory at the Yarra Valley Grand Prix when winning the men’s Trap.
The 2016 Rio Olympian shot a brilliant 45/50 targets to comfortably defeat Tokyo Olympic team member, Thomas Grice (37/50) and Gabriel Sensi (31/50).
In men’s Skeet, NSW’s Joshua Bell (53/60) shot a perfect final round of 10 targets to defeat Elie Lahoud (50/60) and Newcastle Lake Macquarie Clay Target Club member, Frank Morris (40/60).
SURFING - Aussie surfers represent at WSL Narrabeen Classic
The WSL Narrabeen Classic kicked off with Australia’s Tokyo 2020 hopefuls showcasing their talent on home soil.
In the women’s event, Sally Fitzgibbons, Steph Gilmore and Keely Andrew have so far progressed through to the quarter-finals, which will commence later today.
Who’s Semifinals bound?
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 19, 2021
Watch the Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic on https://t.co/ie0ZfNdmHw.@ripcurl @corona pic.twitter.com/EUph1ClNrA
In the men’s event, Owen and Mikey Wright, Mick Fanning, Jack Freestone, Dylan Moffat, Wade Carmichael and Ryan Callinan all proceeded to the Round of 32 before being knocked out.
Aussies Ethan Ewing, Morgan Ciblilic, Jack Robinson and Reef Hazelwood will compete in the upcoming Round of 16.
You can follow along for results HERE
