Men's freestyle top guns, Emily Seebohm, star at swimming trials
One of the hottest 200m freestyle fields in domestic history lived up to its billing on the opening day of the Australian Swimming Trials on the Gold Coast, with Mack Horton, Kyle Chalmers and Cameron McEvoy all poised for Wednesday night's final.
Bond University's Alexander Graham (1:46.72) was the surprise quickest qualifier ahead of Olympic 400m champion Horton (1:47.06), with Chalmers and McEvoy also in the 47s to round out the top four.
Threat: Mack Horton shapes as one of the major players in a stacked 200m final.
Photo: Michael SohnLess than two seconds separated the final field, with youngster Jack Cartwright - a finalist in this event in last year's FINA World Championships in Budapest - missing out in ninth spot.
Horton took out this event over Chalmers last year ahead of the world titles but continues to treat it as a vehicle to a relay spot. Even so, he and Chalmers will be the ones flying late on Wednesday night.
"Not bad. Got what I needed to do done. I don't have the speed at the start the other guys have so I had a ride on Cam and Alex and came home at the end," Horton said.
"I love that relay. That was one of my highlights from Rio, pretty much as good as the gold medal."
Emily Seebohm produced the standout swim of the morning, with the multiple world champion gapping the field in the 100m backstroke to touch the wall in 58.9s, meaning her Australian record of 58.23 looks a reality on the opening night of finals.
In earlier heats, Brisbane teenager Ariarne Titmus threw down the gauntlet to Olympic bronze medalist Emma McKeon in the heats of the 200m freestyle, qualifying fastest for the final with a 1:56.58s.
McKeon (1:57.90) looked as if she had enough in the tank during the her heat but Titmus, who favours the 400m and 800m, looks certain to make sure she earns her spot the hard way.
Former world champion Mitch Larkin (53.19s) topped the qualifying for the finals of the men's 100m backstroke, beating out Bradley Woodward (54.93) and will start heavy favourite in the final.
Taylor McKeon (2:25.8) was the clear pacesetter in the heats of the women's 200m breaststroke, with the defending Commonwealth champion well ahead of Georgia Bohl (2:27.17) and Tessa Wallace (2:29.40).
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