Geoff Huegill, swimming out in lane two after foxing in his semi-final, stopped the clock at 52.23 to just out-touch Michael Klim by 0.11 seconds to defend his National 100m butterfly crown on night five of the Telstra Australian Swimming Championships in Hobart tonight.
Huegill said in his poolside interview after the race. "I went into the final with blinkers on and swam how I like to swim the race. I knew Michael would attack it in the last 50 and I knew I had to try and hold on."
He admitted he had taken a couple of months off training after the Olympics but was happy with his performance, which will put him in the box seat for this year's World Championships in Fukuoka.
"I've been cruising along and came into the meet really relaxed. I didn't put any pressure on myself," he said.
Olympic relay gold medallist, Adam Pine finished third in 53.09. Rounding out the top eight were Burl Reid (53.65), Shane Fielding (54.70), Jason Cohen (54.82), Zane King (54.93), Josh Krogh (55.24).
Klim, the Olympic butterfly silver medallist, will be back in the pool tomorrow night trying to become the first swimmer at these championships to stop "The Thorpedo."
Ian Thorpe, who has already notched world records in the 200 and 800 metres freestyle at this meet, is the fastest qualifier for the 100m final
