https://www.fina-budapest2017.com/en/news/406/curiosities-and-new-stars-in-the-australian--championships-9-13-april-2017-brisbane

Curiosities and new stars in the Australian Swimming Championships – 9-13 April 2017, Brisbane

2017.04.15. 09:05 CET

In the previous 16 world championships finished among top3 on the medal table ten times. Only the United States performed better, so it is not surprise that the whole swimming community follows the happenings of the Australian Championships – especially before an approaching world championships.

We do not intend to list all results, since those who are interested, have obviously checked them already on certain swimming websites, we would rather emphasize some swimmers’ performance who are considered as favourites in Budapest and also to share some curiosities.

Let’s start with ladies. The sprint queen, Bronte Campbell won both the 50 and 100 m freestyle and may prepare for defending her titles confidently gained in Kazan. However, she would compete alone, since her sister, Cate announced earlier that she would miss out this year’s world championships. In back finals was almost unbeatable. Although her preparation was set back by two medical operations (one to address her endometriosis diagnosis and a routine wisdom tooth removal), she won gold in both 100 and 200 m . Before the competition she said that her aim was just to enjoy the championships and she was only hoping to be able to make it to the world championships team. She has made it, so she could participate at her sixth wold championships.

In 50 m backstroke Seebohm finished second behind Holly Barratt, the person owing one of the most special stories of the whole competition. Barratt claimed national championships title for the first time at the age of 29 and became the oldest rookie ever in the Australian team in the history of the world championships. She proved that age is only a number in the sport, in which most members of the field are closer to their teenage than thirties. Some time ago she could not even imagine that she would enter three individual events in the world championships to be held in Budapest. She gave up sport at the age of 18 not having enough motivation and returned as a coach at the age of 24, but her competitive mind soon returned, the road to real success took five more years though.

Some teenagers also secured their spot in the Australian world championships roster and did so with excellent performance. Among them 16-year-old Ariarne Titmus stands out, who claimed gold in 400 and 800 m freestyle and to top it all she clocked a 14-second personal best in 800 m that ranks her number 1 in the world so far this year.

Let’s take a look at men now. At first another teenager, who stunned the world last year when defeating the more experienced field and becoming an Olympic champion in 100 m freestyle. Although gained only silver both in 100 and 200 m freestyle, he secured his spot in the Australian roster. The question is whether he could stun the world again in Budapest?!

Cameron McEvoy has already done it, since he won 50 and 100 m freestyle by this year’s number 1 time. He has no gold either in Olympics or world championships, so his aim is to make it up in Budapest. Mitch Larkin, who won in Kazan both in 100 and 200 m backstroke, collected two gold medals now as well. Olympic champion of Rio in 400 m freestyle, also did not laze at all, but claimed gold in 200, 400 and 1500 m freestyle, too. Whether the opportunity, namely the participation in Budapest will be converted to medal by anyone, it will turn out in summer, but as the happy world championships rookie, Holly Barratt said after the competition: ‘I think it shows that anything can happen.”