Throssell reclaims throne as freestyle champion
Swimming Western Australia
Published: Jan 25, 2013 12:21:29 PM
Dual World Short Course medalist Brianna Throssell has won her second consecutive open women’s 100m freestyle State Championship title on night four of the 2013 Swimming WA State Open and Age Long Course Championships.
In what was labeled the race of the night, 16-year-old Throssell lined up against an impressive field of Olympians Melanie Schlanger, Yolane Kukla and Blair Evans, all vying for bragging rights and the coveted gold medal.
Despite finishing narrowly finishing second to visiting Olympic medalist Schlanger (54.88), Throssell walks away with the title and Roy Hammond Trophy for the State’s fastest woman over 100m.
The battle for the minor placings proved a torrid tussle between London Olympic debutants Yolane Kukla and Blair Evans, with Kukla touching 0.4 seconds ahead of an injured Evans. No longer a WA resident, Evans was awarded the visitor’s bronze with Arena’s Candice Wall claiming the state’s bronze medal.
In other events…
Men’s 200m Freestyle
Australian Age Champion Damian Fyfe has put on a blistering performance to overcome Southeast Asia Games medalist Vernon Lee (1:54.05) and take out the open men’s 200m freestyle final.
After returning from the Australian Youth Olympics Festival on Monday, the gold medalist is showed no signs of fatigue, registering another personal best time of 1:53.52.
400m freestyle State Champion Andrew Walker (1:58.06) claimed the silver medal behind the visiting Lee and ahead of Bunbury’s Jordan Kendall (1:59.62). Malaysia’s Kevin Yeap too home the visitors bronze medal in a time of 1:55.62.
Men’s 50m Butterfly
Olympian Christopher Wright has claimed his second gold medal of the State Championships.
After a hard week of racing, the 24-year-old, who recorded a 24.26 at the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series over the weekend, swam 0.2 faster tonight slamming into the wall in 24.24.
Despite his best efforts, Ryan Steenkamp (25.14) couldn’t catch Wright as he powered through the final 25m. Western Sprint and multiple gold medalist from the meet so far Andrew Walker (25.45) kept up with the pace to take bronze.
Women’s 200m Butterfly
Last night’s silver medalist in the 100m butterfly Gianna Leone has gone one better tonight claiming her first gold medal and state title of the meet in 2:16.68.
Skillful underwater work by Leone put her in the lead early, working hard to hold off challengers Cai Lin Khoo (2:18.25), Jessica Pengelly (2:18.49) and Tamsin Cook (2:19.56) who rounded out the podium finishers.
Men’s 50m Backstroke Multi Class
Liam Smith has taken out the men’s 50m backstroke, edging out the field in 35.07.
Smith, who had to back up from his gold medal winning performance in this morning’s 100m freestyle MC was the first in the water and led all the way.
5-time Paralympic gold medalist Joshua Hoffer (40.88) finished with the silver, while Maximillian Prinz was awarded the bronze in 1:00.03.
Women 50m Butterfly Multi Class
Madeleine Scott has added another gold to her existing collection from this meet, after taking out the final of the women’s 50m butterfly multi class in a time of 33.43.
Katherine Downie collected the silver behind Scott, hitting the wall in 32.61, ahead of bronze medalist Nicole Scott (38.54).
Men’s 200m Breaststroke
Previous Malaysian 50m breaststroke record holder Si Tuan Yep has won the vistor’s gold medal in the men’s 200m breaststroke final.
Yap trailed 2012 Junior Pan Pacs representative Lennard Bremer (2:19.46) through the early stages of the race before making his move in the final lap
Alex Milligan hit the wall in 2:24.50 to secure the silver, while Arena’s James Claxton (2:33.03) was awarded the bronze.
Malaysia’s Ian James Barr (2:21.50) and Shaun Yap (2:26.06) were awarded the visitors silver and bronze medal respectively.
Women’s 200m IM
World Short Course representative and recent 400m individual medley gold medalist Jessica Pengelly has swum a stellar race to claim the state title and the medley double in the final of the women’s 200m individual medley.
Despite the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the gold in the 200m fly just minutes early, Pengelly refocused on her race plan, her strategy earning her a well deserved gold medal in (2:19.49).
Visiting Malaysian Erika Kong (2:25.73) pushed Pengelly in the first 100m before the South African born swimmer made her move in the backstroke leg.
Recent gold medalist Kirsten Pannekoek (2:26.42) added a silver to her collection after narrowly pipping Chante Du Rante (2:26.44) to the post, forcing Du Rante to settle for bronze.
Men’s 100m Breaststroke Multi Class
Joshua Hoffer and Liam Smith have written another chapter in their ever-growing rivalry. After finishing second to Smith (1:46.33) in the 50m backstroke, former Paralympic World Record holder Hoffer turned the tables by finishing ahead of Smith in the men’s 100m breaststroke multi class to claim his first gold of the meet.
Women’s 50m Backstroke
Australian Short Course bronze medalist in this event Holly Barratt (29.28) has overcome state record holder Adelaide Hart to win the 50m backstroke title.
After two months off training, Hart (29.98) put in a gallant effort to go stroke for stroke with Barratt and finish under the elusive 30-second mark. Westside Christchurch’s Caitlin Shepard touched in 30.84 to claim bronze.
Women’s 50m Freestyle Multi Class
Dual Paralympic Gold Medalist Katherine Downie has put on a crowd pleasing performance in the women’s 50m freestyle multiclass, taking the state title convincingly in 29.96. Nicole Scott was right in the mix, finishing with the silver in an impressive time of 36.52
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