Freestylers lead the way as coaches predict fast Trial times for this year's World Champs

Swimming Australia: 9 June, 2019: The six-day Hancock Prospecting World Swimming Trials for this year’s 18^th Fina World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea (July 12-28) kick off at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre Saturday (June 9) and all eyes will be on Australia’s premier freestylers in what will be a telltale dress rehearsal just 12 months out from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Trials.

And more so than ever the pressure will be on the coaches and swimmers to perform just a month away from this year’s championships, at a Trials meet many coaches believe will be fast.

With the inclusion of the reverse distance freestyle events for 2020 – the 800m for the men and the 1500m for the women there will now be 12 freestyle events – the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500m freestyle on the Tokyo program – finally mirroring the Worlds and the Pan Pacs.

 

And looking at the depth in all those events Australia could well be represented in every final – 12 months out from the big dance.

Here IAN HANSON looks at some of the big questions in the women’s events:

 

-       CAN Emma McKeon (Griffith University: Coach - Michael Bohl) or Shayna Jack (St Peters Western: Coach - Dean Boxall) break the stranglehold the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte (Knox/Pymble: Coach - Simon Cusack) have on the 50 and 100m freestyles? What an intriguing battle – especially in the 100m as the world record breaking relay foursome line up for one of the real battle-royals of the week on Day 4  (Wednesday, June 12) in the 100m and then again on the final night Day 6 (Friday, June 14) for the 50m – in football terms – blockbusters!

 

-       HOW close to her best will Ariarne Titmus (St Peters Western: Coach Dean Boxall) be as she continues to ignite her campaign for next year’s Olympics over 200, 400 and 800m freestyle? Titmus has re-written the middle-distance record books over the last 12 months – lowering all of the Australian records over 200m (1:54.30), 400m (3:59.66) and the 800m (8:17.07) as she plants herself squarely in the sights of US legend Katie Ledecky for next months world’s.  Apart from Ledecky’s remarkable world marks, Britain’s Rebecca Adlington’s Commonwealth record of 8:14.10, set over a decade ago at the Beijing Olympics of 2008, will be well and truly in Titmus’ sights – if not this week then certainly in South Korea.

 

-       CAN Rio Olympic backstroker Madison Wilson (Marion: Coach Peter Bishop) continue her leap of faith back into the freestyle events, lining up in the 50, 100 and 200m freestyles as well as her favoured 100m backstroke? Have to feel for her – up against the Campbells and co in the sprint freestyles, McKeon and wonder girl Titmus in the 200m freestyle and old nemesis Emily Seebohm (Brisbane Grammar: Coach David Lush) in the 100m backstroke, with Seebohm chasing a place on a record seventh World Championship team having debuted at just 14 in 2007. McKeon remains the Dolphins MVP after her amazing performances at the last two Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Rio Olympics – she will again line up in the 50, 100 and 200m freestyle and the 100m butterfly. Then there are super-kids Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans: Coach Chris Mooney) and Minna Atherton (Brisbane Grammar: Coach David Lush). McKeown primarily in both the 100 and 200m backstrokes and 200 individual medley on night one where coach Mooney asks: Who will be “cherry ripe” to take home the chocolates? While Atherton will be lurking, waiting to strike in both backstrokes.

-       WHO will make the top eight in the 200m freestyle? With Titmus and McKeon leading the way and the likes of Wilson, Jack, Olympians Brianna Throssell (UWA West Coast: Coach Mick Palfrey) and Leah Neale (USC Spartans: Coach Chris Mooney), her training partner Mikkayla Sheridan and Junior Pan Pac star Lani Pallister (Cotton Tree: Coach Janelle Pallister) and Abbey Harkin (St Peters Western: Coach Dean Boxall) amongst 12 girls who will be chasing a top eight spot in what could well be the most competitive race of the week and;

-       WHO will be the odd ones out in the women’s 1500m freestyle with training partners Kiah Melverton and Maddie Gough (TSS Aquatic: Coach Chris Nesbit) leading the way against 10km open water star Kareena Lee (Noosa Aquatic: Coach John Rodgers) and youngster Lani Pallister (Cotton Tree: Coach Janelle Pallister) sure to make their mark. Melverton and Gough are used to eyeballing each other on a regular basis and expect nothing different come Monday Night (Day 2) June 10.

 

Ian Hanson| Media Manager