Magnussen seeking 2013 NSW sprint title
Swimming Australia
Published: Mar 15, 2013 06:00:34 PM Updated: Apr 22, 2013 01:43:18 PM
Olympic silver medallist and 2011 World Champion James Magnussen has posted a strong heat swim on the first morning of competition at the 2013 NSW State Open Championships at SOPAC, progressing through as fastest qualifier for the final in a time of 48.90.
The 21-year-old from Sydney will be looking to defend his 2012 NSW title in the event, with his heat time just half a second slower than the 48.46 seconds he will need to swim at this year’s EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships in Adelaide to qualify for the World Championships.
Swimming next to Magnussen, in lane five, will be fellow Sydney-sider Kenneth To who clocked 49.73 ahead of Japan’s Kosuke Hagino (49.96) in third. The pocket rocket and 2012 World Cup champion said he was thrilled to be racing next to Magnussen in the final tonight.
“Almost always the guy on the blocks next to me will be taller, but you have your own lane and the same number of metres to swim so you do your own thing. He’s a great sprinter but if any of us can get close to Maggie we’ll be very happy,” said To.
With most swimmers still in heavy training as they prepare for the EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships in Adelaide staring on April 26, To said he would be looking to swim close to a personal best time and try to use his short course training to his advantage tonight.
“I’m going to be right in the thick of it tonight and I’ll be looking to use my underwater skills off the turn to give me that edge,” To said.
Joining Magnussen and To in the final will be Olympians Tommaso D’Orsogna (50.11) James Roberts (50.29) and Cameron McEvoy (50.48) as well as fellow freestyle relay World Champion Matthew Abood (50.12) and his younger brother Andrew (50.29).
In the corresponding women’s event, freestyle relay gold medal teammates from London Alicia Coutts (55.27) and Brittany Elmslie (55.46) qualified first and third fastest respectively for the final of the women’s100m free.
Splitting the two sprinters in second spot, was 16-year-old Carlile swimmer and Junior Pan Pacs silver medallist in this event, Ami Matsuo, who stopped the clock at 55.35, while Coutts’ heat swim was just a second off the qualifying standard for the Barcelona World Championships.
Dual Olympian Bronte Barratt was also in the mix, finishing fourth, a touch behind Elmslie in 55.47.
In other events on the opening day of competition…
Men’s 400m Freestyle
Japanese visitor Kosuke Hagino will swim from lane four in the final of the men’s 400m freestyle after an impressive time of 3:49.46. London Olympian David McKeon from NSWIS was the second quickest through in the heats in 3:50.07, from 17-year-old Gold Coaster Jordan Harrison (3:50.34) and his Miami training partner Thomas Fraser-Holmes fourth through in 3:50.80.
Women’s 50m Butterfly
London golden girl Alicia Coutts started her NSW State Championship campaign as the fastest qualifier in the women’s 50m butterfly, hitting the wall in 26.75 ahead of visitors Yuka Kato from Japan (26.86) and China’s Li Shuyi (27.03). Emily Seebohm was the second fastest Australian through to tonight’s final in 27.17.
Men’s 200m Butterfly
The men’s 200m butterfly saw Japanese champion and dual Olympic medallist from London, Takeshi Matsuda cruised through in 1:58.49 with Mitchell Pratt (2:00.48) and Yuta Kimura (2:01.29) rounding out the top three.
Men’s 50m Breaststroke
Former AIS swimmer and now based at Nunawading, Max Ireland was the quickest through in the men’s 50m breaststroke in a time of 28.29 ahead of the Japanese duo of Akihiro Yamaguchi (28.46) and breaststroke legend Kosuke Kitajima in 28.80. London Olympian Jayden Hadler was the fourth fastest through in 28.83.
Women’s 400m IM
The women’s 400m IM looks set to be a close race with less than a second separating the top three qualifiers for tonight’s final. Aya Takano will swim from lane four after a 4:49.52, while Keryn McMaster (4:49.80) and dual Olympian Samantha Hamill (4:50.28) will all be vying for the title.
Women’s 200m Backstroke
Less than a second also separates the top two in the women’s 200m backstroke with Olympians Belinda Hocking and Meagen Nay securing lane’s four and five respectively. Hocking hit the wall in 2:10.90 with Nay qualifying in 2:11.86 followed by Hayley Baker in 2:13.32.
Women’s 100m Breaststroke
Dual Olympian Sally Foster was the fastest in the women’s 100m breaststroke posting an impressive time of 1:08.55 ahead of Samantha Marshall from Melbourne Vicentre (1:09.60) and Miku Kanasahi (1:10.31) from Japan.
Men’s Multi Class 200m Individual Medley
The men’s Multi Class 200m IM saw Paralympians Sean Russo (2:19.82) and Mitchell Killduff (2:30.13) finish in first and second respectively while Hayden Smith picked up the bronze in 2:35.73.
Women’s Multi Class Individual Medley
Eight-time gold medallist from the London Paralympic Games Jacqui Freney continued her run of success taking out the timed final of the women’s Multi Class 200m IM after hitting the wall in 2:55.73, while fellow Paralympians Taylor Corry and Amanda Fowler finished second and third respectively.
Men’s 50m Backstroke
London Olympian Daniel Arnamnart was the fastest through in the men’s 50m backstroke in a time of 25.44, while AIS based Ben Treffers will swim from lane 5 after posting a time of 25.60. Japanese silver medallist from London Ryosuke Irie was the third quickest through in 25.92, from Nunawading’s Ashley Delaney in 26.28.
Women’s 800m Freestyle
The final event of the morning, the men’s 800m freestyle saw Zoe Elkerton post the fastest time hitting the wall in 8:59.03 from Thailand’s Patarawadee Kittiya (9:02.76) and Alexandra Williams who finished in 9:05.80.
Men’s Multi Class 200m Individual Medley
The men’s Multi Class 200m IM saw Paralympians Sean Russo (2:19.82) and Mitchell Killduff (2:30.13) finish in first and second respectively while Hayden Smith picked up the bronze in 2:35.73.
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