Monday 27 June 2011

Libby Trickett Gets Her Chance to Make Aussie 4 x 100 Free Relay Team


Things Australia do well: Cricket, Aussie Rules, Rugby League, Surfing, their version of Masterchef, coming up with a way to give Libby Trickett a chance to compete in Shanghai.

On June 29, two days before the Australian Short Course Championships begin, Libby Trickett will get the chance to qualify for the Australian 4 x 100 Free relay team. In a masterstroke from performance director Leigh Nugent he decided to leave the 6th spot on each relay team open, to be decided by time trial. Although the ruling was designed largely for Trickett, it should also help Australia by getting the in-form swimmers onto their relay teams.

The task will not be an easy one for Trickett as she faces competition from Cate and Bronte Campbell, Alice Mills, Melanie Schlanger and Marieke Guehrer.

To gain selection for the relay Trickett will need to a) win the race and b) finish faster than the 5th place finisher at nationals, a time of 54.99.

The times for the other relay spots are as follows: Men's 100 Free - 48.95, Men's 200 Free - 1:48.50, Women's 200 Free - 1:57.59

25 comments:

  1. Who can do a sub 55 cold at 10am on a mid winters day?

    Whoever can sure deserves the spot!

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  2. I have a hunch Cate Campbell might get this, although I wish for Trickett.

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  3. Her sister Bronte has already been under the required time so I think she has to start as the favourite.

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  4. I think it will be on the Matsuo touch ahead of Bronte & Cate Campbell.

    Also, on the first comment it is not that cold in Adelaide at the moment, it will be mid-high teens when they swim and should not affect them too much. Is it not an indoor pool anyway?

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  5. I really hope Libby gets selected, or event duck under the qualifying time, good luck to you Libby. Hope for the best to 2012!

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  6. The race is going to be at 7pm Adelaide time (8:30am London time, 3:30am ET).

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  7. So what happens if no one cracks the time??

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  8. I presume the 6th placed finisher from trials will go in each event. In the 100 Free that is Jade Neilsen (55.30 at trials).

    Interestingly on the 200 Free it is Alicia Coutts whose place is under threat, despite ranking 17th in the world this year on a 1:57.7. It would be pretty brutal for Coutts to lose her place on the relay despite having a Top 20 ranked time. I guess it just goes to show how much depth Australia has on the women's 200 Free.

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  9. Jack
    by 'cold' I mean straight off prior to any of the competition - & with no races for 3 months. In that scenario sub 55s is a big task..

    I am sure they will have some heating on . I have yet to go there but maybe for Olys trials . I hope they built it to make best use of winter sun .

    Yes its 7pm . The 10am slot must be a special training session without the bulkheads.

    And yes Adelaide has a nice climate . one of my favourit pools ever was Burnside. - a lovely 6 lane 50 mt pool in parklands. It was perfect .

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  10. 12 girls trying out -9 of whom have been 55.3 or better textile.

    Great work Australian Swimming !

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  11. Apart from the women's 100, I doubt anyone will get under the required times for the other 3 (mens 100&200, womens 200). The times are pretty brutal for those not already selected.

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  12. By the way, is there any live timing/results online for this event? and for the shortcourse national as well?

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  13. www.swimming.org.au has results set up. The trials rsults will be flashed up I expect.

    The mens 200 ought get under the time as it is not high & perfectly achievable for at least 5 men.

    Good luck to all but a special shout out to Emma & David Mackeon . Both could win .

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  14. the live results for the SC champs:
    http://www.clubsonline.com.au/uploads/swimresults/National/2011SC/index.htm

    but it doesnt have results for the trials

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  15. Marieke Guehrer won in 54.29 and earned the last relay spot, Trickett sixth in 55.68
    Kyle Richardson also won in 48.80 and earned the sixth mens relay spot. This means Australia has 7 (seven) sub-49 freestylers in Shanghai team!

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  16. Marieke & Kyle - fittingly as both are good relay swimmers. Marieke's 54.2 is pleasing & Kyle made up for his uncharacteristic low place in summer. Kyle is not spectacular but usually gets the job done.

    Good things for newcomers Amy & Jessica . Amy is the first international level girl from Forbes Carlile group in over 20 years. Nice for him to see it again .

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  17. I was expecting a 56 from Libby so 55.6 things looking a little brighter for her.

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  18. a bad news for the australian team: seebohm is down with ilness and needs to be hospitalised.
    When she's good and healthy she should be at least 54 flat. This makes fight for a 400 FR medal getting more difficult

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  19. Yes -ven tough she was not well she pipped out LaraJackson in the 50 7 just got pipped by Christine Magnussen 100 fly in the Tuscon meet.

    I would not travel to Shanghai if I were her. Without Emily Australia wil lose the 400 im but her health is paramount.

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  20. As I've predicted no one swam under the qualifying times for men and women's 200.
    David mcKeon, 18, swam 1:48.78 and Ellen Fullerton, 18, swam 2:00.42, way slower than the 1:57s required.

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  21. Woohoo did you notice I got David Mackeon right?

    He is a talent to watch in the near future. For those who don't know -although from a swimming family he only started training 1 year ago.

    I think they may take David.

    He is a big likely for the 2012 800 relay & 2nd 400 spot.

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  22. Congrats on successfully picking Mckeon.

    You seem like an insider :D
    are you ron mckeon? :P

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  23. Aswim - LOL no.

    However i do live along the same beautiful stretch of coastline as the mackeons! Unfortunately no inside knowledge -just logic . .

    also re emma . Note that Emma swam 52.6 to Marieke's 52.8 at WSC in December. If Emma had been targetting this she would also have won . My guess school comes first this year !

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  24. is amelia gould related to shane gould?

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  25. No - but same swimming club. There are about 4-5 promising young girls now. Unfortunately the Carlile profit empire bought up nearly every pool in northern Sydney & results show lame lame results for 20 years.

    Its a mystery as to how the Carlisles are going to transport them all to the next world. They will try .

    Love them but....move over .

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