A flurry of four on Night 4
Swimming Western Australia
Published: Sep 16, 2012 11:58:03 AM Updated: Sep 16, 2012 01:45:20 PM
London Paralympian Katherine Downie has claimed her first 50m freestyle MC title, winning her final in a time of 29.17.
Downie, who claimed the women’s 100m freestyle multi class final last night, took the race ahead of fellow Paralympic teammate Amanda Fowler (30.05) and Teneale Houghton (28.55), who added a bronze medal to the two gold and a silver she’d already collected at this meet.
World Short Course silver medallist Kotuku Ngawati (2:10.17) has upstaged a strong field in the final of the women’s 200m individual medley to win her maiden Australian short course title on the fourth night of the EnergyAustralia Short Course Championships in Perth.
Ngawati, swimming in lane seven, led from the beginning and refused to forfeit her advantage, holding off fast-finishing Olympian Blair Evans, who was touched out for silver in 2:10.46
While the minor placings changed throughout the race, Ellen Fullerton, who always featured within the top three, grabbed bronze to go with her 400m IM gold on night one.
Nothing could separate the leading contenders in the final of the women’s 100m breaststroke with the Australian Short Course title being awarded to both Sarah Katsoulis (1:06.42) and Samantha Marshall (1:06.42).
A speedy start from 2009 World Championship silver medallist Katsoulis saw her take the lead early and remain in front until the final turn. However, Marshall powered through the final 25m and took a long lunge at the wall to touch in equal first with Katsoulis – who opted for the extra stroke at the finish.
London Olympic finalist Sally Foster was next in to the wall, stopping the clock at 1:06.79 to claim the bronze medal.
The men’s 50m butterfly final proved to be a turbulent affair with New South Welshman Joseph Carty overcoming the unsettled waters to claim his first Australian short course title.
Australian Championship bronze medallist Ben Lindsay found his form early leading at the 25 metre-mark and was rewarded with the silver in a time of 23.56, while Olympian Christopher Wright (23.64) equalled his qualifying time to earn his first medal of the championships finishing strongly in third position. Lindsay’s teammate Ryan Steencamp stormed home in 23.76 to round off the field in 23.76
Men’s 100m freestyle
London Olympian Cameron McEvoy has set the standard in the semi-finals of the men’s 100m freestyle, powering past pocket rocket Kenneth To (47.54) to win his race in 47.23, and take top spot into the finals. To snuck into the top eight in fifth position.
World Cup short course gold medallist Kyle Richardson took second rank while McEvoy’s Olympic teammate Tomasso D’Orsogna and World Championship gold medallist Matt Abood were third and fourth respectively.
Bobby Jovanovich featured in yet another high profiled semi-final, this time finishing in tenth position in 48.60.
Women’s 50m backstroke
Victorians Rachel Goh and Grace Loh will write another chapter to their growing aqua rivalry in the final of the women’s 50m backstroke tomorrow night.
While Loh took the medal in Thursday night’s 100m backstroke, tonight it was defending champion Goh who booked lane four for the tomorrow night’s final with a time of 27.32.
Loh’s time of 27.48 indicates that the decider will be another hotly contested affair while West Australian local Holly Barratt swam a short course personal best time of 27.52 to qualify third fastest. Adelaide Hart will secure a good lane draw in the final after finishing fifth to qualify in 27.83.
Women’s 100m butterfly
Silver medallist from the 200m butterfly earlier in the meet, Brianna Throssell (58.61) will go through to tomorrow night’s 100m butterfly final as favourite ahead of Olympic gold medallist Brittany Elmslie (58.87).
Following on from her international success at the recent Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Hawaii, Throssell is rising through the ranks and at just 16 years of age she is marked as a swimmer to watch. Six of the top eight finalists recorded times within one second of each other.
Men’s 100m IM
Three-time Junior Pan Pacific gold medallist from 2010 Kenneth To’s outstanding underwater work has propelled the short course specialist into prime position for the final of men’s 100m individual medley.
To (52.32), the 2010 and 2011 titleholder, will enter tomorrow night’s final aiming to complete three successive Australian Short Course titles in the event, as well as collecting the crown to complete a gold medal trifecta for the meet.
Standing in To’s way is London Olympian Tommaso D’Orsogna (53.67), who is seeking his first gold medal of the competition in front of his home crowd, and who qualified in second place.
South Australian Sam Beinke is the third fastest qualifier in 54.53.
Women’s 50m freestyle
World Championships representative Olivia Halicek will take the fastest time into the women’s 50m freestyle final after recording 24.61.
Olympic gold medallist Brittany Elmslie finished hot on the heels of Halicek in a time of 24.69.
Alexandra Purcell (24.72), who contested the corresponding final in 2010, and recently re-crowned national 100m freestyle short course champion Marieke Guehrer (24.78) finished a fraction further back in the splash-and-dash event.
Dual Olympian Sally Foster (25.09) has qualified sixth for the final while fellow West Aussie Holly Barratt has just fallen short of a finals placing, finishing ninth in 25.19. Adelaide Hart put on a strong performance to finish fast in 25.96.
Women’s 100m breaststroke MC
Amanda Fowler has claimed her first national short course title in the women’s 100m breaststroke multi-class event.
Fifteen-year-old Fowler, who finished second in tonight’s 50m freestyle MC, finished ahead of Madeleine Scott (1:23.56) with Queensland’s Hellen Hasseloff third in 1:35.06. Dianne Saunders of Superfins followed closely behind to finish just short of a medal in 1:43.03
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