AUSTRALIAN TRIALS, Day One, Prelims: Ariarne Titmus On World Record Pace From The Get Go – Before Backing Off

Defending Olympic 400m freestyle champion Ariarne Titmus has kick-started her campaign to Paris on world record pace in Brisbane today.

Right from the opening gun in the first heat of the women’s 400m freestyle in the first session of the Australian Trials for Paris, Titmus (St Peters Western, QLD; coach; Dean Boxall) dished up a taste of what’s to come on her freestyle menu over the next six days.

The 23-year-old world record holder was like a shot out of a gun – under her own world record pace for the first 150m – splitting 56.45 at the 100m mark and 1:26.49 at the 150m split.

Backing off down the fourth lap to go through the 200m half-way mark in 1:56.97 – just a touch off world record pace – backing off over the next 200m – to touch in a time of 4:01.57 – one of her fastest ever heat swims and quicker than any other Australian has ever swum.

Tonight’s final could well present a real showpiece in the countdown to Paris and her match up with fellow freestyle superstars – former world record holders, Canada’s Summer McIntosh and US legend Katie Ledecky – the world record of 3:55.88 from the 2023 Fukuoka World’s officially under siege.

Second fastest qualifier and second heat winner, World Short Course champion, Lani Pallister (Griffith University, QLD; Coach Michael Bohl) who has a pb of 4:01.75 goes through to the final in comfortable 4:06.69 as she eyes a place on her first Olympic team – and emulating her mother Janelle Pallister (nee Elford), a 1988 Seoul Olympian.

Meanwhile another golden girl from Tokyo, five-time Olympic champion Emma McKeon (Griffith University, QLD; coach: Michael Bohl) is also off to a flyer – just a touch outside her own Australian record, the fastest qualifier into the final of the women’s 100m butterfly and under the QT (57.17) stopping the clock at  56.75 ahead of Alex Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD; Coach Mick Palfrey) who clocked a pb andjustb outside the QT in 57.20 – who is gunning for her first Olympic team.

Dual Olympian Brianna Throssell (St Peters Western, QLD; Coach: Dean Boxall) is also very much in the race, clocking the third fastest time into the final of 57.55.

And World champion in the 50m breaststroke, Sam Williamson (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) was also on fire in the men’s 100m breaststroke clocking an Olympic qualifying time of 58.95 (QT 59.49) – his personal best, the second fastest by an Australian and the eighth fastest time in the world this year. (QTs for Paris must be achieved in finals).

Meanwhile in the preliminary heats of the women’s 200IM, Australian record holder and backstroke world record holder Kaylee McKeown (Griffith University, QLD;Michael Bohl ) goes comfortably through to tonight’s final in 2:11.98 (well outside her best of 2:06.99).

With 19-year-old Ella Ramsay (Chandler, QLD; Coach: Vince Raleigh) the quickest through the preliminary heats in 2:10.96 – just outside her best of 2:10.71 and just outside the Olympic qualifying time standard of 2:10.62, with Fukuoka 400IM bronze medallist, Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD; Coach Dean Boxall ) third fastest in 2:13.44.

Olympic qualification tonight will also see Ella Ramsay join her father, Sydney 2000 Olympian, Heath Ramsay in the Olympians club.

The men’s 400m freestyle sees 2022 World champion Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD; Coach Dean Boxall ) won heat two of the men’s 400 in an impressive 3:45.72 – touch outside the QT of 3:45.43, after 2023 world champion Sam Short (Rackley, QLD; Coach Damien Jones) comfortable opening heat winner in 3:48.66 – setting the scene for a super match race tonight.

And in the opening heat of the Multi-Class 200m freestyle for S14 swimmers saw Queensland’s Jack Ireland (University of QLD) – the Short Course world record holder, clock a Paralympic qualifying time of 1:54.75 – putting his hand up to make his debut in Paris – with times in the heats accepted under the Swimming Australia criteria.

PARIS BOIUND: Lakeisha Patterson. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).

While in the women’s Multi-Class 400m freestyle dual Paralympic golden girl, S9 Lakeisha Patterson (USC Spartans, QLD; Coach Harley Connolly) was very impressive, locking in an official QT of 4:43.54 – securing her place on a third Paralympic team. Patterson will be chasing her third Paralympic gold in this event after her wins in Rio and Tokyo.

While in the Multi-Class 400m  freestyle four-time Paralympian S9 class swimmer Brenden Hall (USC Spartans, QLD; Coach Harley Connolly) was only just off the QT, winning in 4:18.93 ahead of IM world record holder and world champion, Timothy Hodge also S9 (ACU, Blacktown, NSWQ; coach Misha Payne) 4:19.92 and Harrison Vg (Uni of QLD; Coach David Hayden) 4:20.30)

The Australian Paralympic team will be announced by the Australian Paralympic Committee on Friday night.

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