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Teen Last Lappers Have It; JM Gold In 48.29
Apr 5, 2011 - Craig Lord
Sydney, Australian Championships, day 5 finals and semi-finals:
Michael Klim and Ian Thorpe will surely be looking on from Sydney and Switzerland today - and they will know a little more about the mountain they must climb just to make the Aussie 4x100m free relay for London 2012: 19-year-old James Magnussen took his first Australian title in 48.29, the second-best ever by an Australian in textile after Michael Klim's 48.18 former world record from 2000, and 19-year-old James Roberts, Somerset, took silver in 48.72 as five men dip below 49sec and the final closes down in 49.35.
The cut: 48.76 - both 19-year-olds in the Shanghai sprint.
The winner's time deposed Fabien Gilot (FRA) and his 48.34 victory at French nationals from the helm of the 2011 world rankings. Michael Klim is listed as Magnussen's favourite swimmer because, says the champion of 2011, the world-record breaking lead-off member of the "smashing guitars" 4x100m relay of Sydney 2000, is "such a motivation. Asked for his notable quote for the Swimming Australia website, Magnussen replies: "What we do in life, echoes in eternity," - Gladiator, starring Aussie Russell Crowe
The world top 10 in the 100m so far this season is not quite an all-France/Australia affair, though quartets and reserves in the US and Russia will know where the pace is headed as some of the best sprinters in the world, such as Alain Bernard and Eamon Sullivan, 2008 Olympic gold and silver medallists, find themselves confined to the relay in China this July:
Brent Hayden, world No 1 in 2010, ensures a third nation in the top 10 to date
Race reports
Men's 100m freestyle
Defending champion and Olympic silver medallist Eamon Sullivan was locked out of solo action over 100m at world titles in Shanghai this July, his 48.89 good enough for bronze behind 19-year-old James Magnussen, on 48.29, off a 5th-place 23.28 split, and James Roberts, also 19, on 48.72. Magnussen trains in the same pool as Sullivan a few times a week, the Olympic medallist a member of the SOPAC programme run by coach Grant Stoelwinder in Sydney. Previously based at Macquarie Uni, Magnussen is a member of the SOPAC programme and guided by long-term coach Brant Best. Magnussen leaves behind his teenage years next week, his 20th birthday on March 11. That day also marks the 20th birthday of Roberts. A twin destiny now awaits the two Jameses this summer.
Stoelwinder is the High Performance Coach at the ITC and Best the head coach and High Performance coach of the SOPAC program and club. Best describes Magnussen as "a very talented young man with a bright future". Much focus and attention has been put into the teenager's ability to maintain pace throughout races, that translating into a homecoming speed few can rival - and it shows.
When asked about the nature of winners in the 100m free on the biggest of occasions, Bob Bowman, mentor to Michael Phelps, told SwimNews recently that he favoured the scenario whereby the champion came from the crew of those who could come back the hardest. So it proved in Sydney today. The final was a more nervy affair than the semi and three swimmers were a touch slower when it counted most, to the great cost of Matthews Targett and Abood in particular.
"For the past year I’ve been thinking about this race and thought I had a good chance of winning it," Magnussen told reporters in Sydney. "It’s been my aim since Commonwealth Games anyway to win this race and it’s amazing to come out and do it. I’ve got complete faith in my back end speed and I knew if I was within striking distance of the boys I could get them. I possibly went out a bit harder than I have before but I was able to hang on for the finish."
The final and how it unfolded [qualification time in square brackets):
Here's a measure of the development of Australian sprinting, showing the top 8 times, all-time all suits, all-time textile-only and in each of the past four years:
All-time all suits
All-time, textile only
2007:
2008 (year of the 50% poly suits)
2009 (year of the 100% poly suits)
2010 (January 1 marked ban on non-textile suits and the bodysuit cut and a return to textile-only)
How they measure up in Sydney today:
Best AUS podium result at world titles: silver - Michael Klim, Perth 1998, behind training partner Alex Popov (RUS)
Men's 200m medley
Mitch Larkin is 17 - and he's got a ticket to the world title short medley race in Shanghai in July, after a 1:59.42 victory over Ken To, on 2:00.05, and defending champion and world-championship finalist Leith Brodie, on 2:00.15. The cut was 1:59.70.
Larkin, coached by Michael Bohl at St Peters Western, turned in 6th place at half-way and was still in third behind To and Travis Nederpelt at the last turn but a 27.72 last lap converted to gold as To could manage only 30.54 on the way home and Brodie's 27.67 homecomer was not enough to bridge the gap. Larkin's time is the best ever by an Australian in a textile suit, inside the 1:59.60 best of Brodie last year.
Larkin's splits: 26.30; 57.57 (31.27); 1:31.70 (34.13); 1:59.42 (27.72).
Larkin later qualified for the 200m backstroke final in third place.
How they measure up
Best AUS podium result at world titles: silver - Ian Thorpe, second 3.62sec behind Michael Phelps (USA) at the 2003 titles in Barcelona.
Women's 200m butterfly
World champion Jessica Schipper and Olympic triple gold winner Stephanie Rice scraped inside the target time for world titles in Shanghai this July with respective efforts of 2:07.78 and 2:07.87 ahead of Samantha Hamill, on 2:08.89. No others broke 2:10.
The race was close all the way but defending champion Schipper, the former world record holder and Olympic bronze medallist coached by Stephan Widmer at Chandler in Brisbane, always had the edge.
The splits:
How they measure up:
Best AUS podium result at world titles: gold, four times - Susie O'Neill ahead of teammate Petria Thomas in 1998; Thomas in 2001; Jessicah Schipper in 2007 and 2009
Women's 50m backstroke
The dash is not a selection event for Shanghai but the national crown went to Grace Loh, of Melbourne, in 28.15, ahead of national record holder Sophie Edington, on 28.20, the bronze going to belinda Hocking in 28.33. defending champion Emily Seebohm withdrew from the meet after collapsing in the wake of qualifying for ther 100m backstroke in a season disrupted by a bout of swine 'flu.
How they measure up:
Best AUS podium result at world titles: gold - Giaan Rooney in Montreal 2005
Women's 4x200m freestyle
Nunawading 'A' team, Belinda Parslow, Belina Bennett, Zoe Johnson and Samantha Bennett clocked 8:13.14 for victory over Carlile A team, Alicia Caldwell, 15, Leanne Wright, 16, Georgia Miller, 15, ande Ami Matsuo, 14, on 8:20.68, the bronze going to Melbourne Vic A in 8:22.60.
Semi-finals:
Women's 100m freestyle
Commonwealth golden girl Alicia Coutts continued to break the mould in the Australian ranks with a 54.27 blast that booked lane 4 for the final tomorrow. Either side of her will be Yolane Kukla, 15, on a youth record of 54.49, and Bronte Barratt, on 54.72. The last inside 55sec was Merinda Dingjan, on 54.85.
Women's 200m breaststroke
With Leisel Jones opting out of the 200m, Sally Foster claimed lane 4 for the final in 2:26.50. Either side of her tomorrow will be Sarah Katsoulis, 2:27.72, and Rebecca Kemp, 18, on 2:27.82. Four other teenagers made the last eight.
Men's 200m breaststroke
Craig Calder, of Albury, claimed lave 4 in 2:14.29. Either side of him tomorrow will be world 100m champion Brenton Rickard, 2:16.02, and Buster Sykes, 17-year-old son of former British internationals, Suki Brownsdon and Gareth Sykes, on 2:16.36. World record holder Christian Sprenger was not in the race.
Men's 200m backstroke
Ashley Delaney claimed lane 4 in 1:59.97 ahead of Braiden Camm, 2:01.04, and the winner of the 200m medley at the start of the session, Mitch Larkin, 17, on 2:01.13.
The Aussie team for Shanghai after 5 of 8 days of racing in Sydney:
Men:
Women:
