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Magnussen: Back To Basics

Mar 18, 2013  - Craig Lord

News Round-Up:

Australia: after his first competitive outing since the Stilnox-saga apology, James Magnussen, Olympic silver medallist over 100m free, emerged from NSW titles in Sydney to say: "It's probably still even taken me the three days of this meet to be comfortable again in a public setting, I guess. I'm still really self conscious about everything that's happened and about people's perceptions of myself and what went on." He told AAP: "Just trying to get back to being recognised for what I got into swimming for and that was for swimming fast. Not for being a celebrity or for being a stuff up." On his prospects for world titles and the defence of his 100m free crown - and Australia's 4x100m free crown - he added: "We're doing a lot of hard work at the moment, I know that I will drop at least a second off that (100 metre time). But I think the last little things that I've got to work on is the skills, my starts. I'm a little sluggish at the moment, but that will come with freshening up. Then I've still got almost a second to drop off that 50 before I get back down to my full top end speed. So that first 50 in the 100 will go a lot quicker yet."

USA: Missy Franklin set best times of 47.28 and 1:41.81 over 100 and 200 yards free and 1:48.42 over 200 yards backstroke at the Speedo Champions Series in Federal Way. The Colorado Stars star also got close to best in the 200y medley, on 1:55.49. Yards are beyond the realm of the rest of the world but suffice it to say: any best by Franklin is bound to be somewhere close to world best. At Southern Sectionals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they were swimming in baths most folk around the world can fathom these days, long-course metres, Bolles School pupils Jose Schooling and Ryan Murphy, both 17, added to their tally of wins, Schooling on 2:02.87 in the 200m 'fly, Murphy on 2:00.15 in the 200m backstroke.

Switzerland: Lukas Räuftlin, of Limmat Sharks, clocked world-titles qualifiers of 55.48 and 2:00.11 over 100m and 200m backstroke - the 200 a national record - at Swiss nationals that ended in Geneva on Sunday evening. The 200 record had stood at 2:00.16 to Jonathan Massacand since the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. In 55.21, Massacand continues to hold the national 100m mark. Räuftlin, 23, stepped up from best times of 56.20 and 2:01.48. Dominik Meichtry (Uster) took three freestyle titles. The 100m was Meichtry's in 50.20, over 50.61 for Erik Van Dooren (Geneva); he clocked 1:49.65, ahead of a 1:49.90 from David Karasek (Limmat) - both those world titles qualifiers -  in the 200m; and 3:55.50, over 3:57.59 for Nils Liess (Lancy) in the 400m.

Italy: Marco Orsi clocked 21.89 and 48.34 over 50m and 100m free at the Lecco short-course meet, with Andrea Rolla on 22.52 and 49.92 in second place in both finals.