Australian Swimming Trials - Day 4 Finals Wrap

Untouchable backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown completed the backstroke treble at the Australian Swimming Trials while Kyle Chalmers blitzed the 100m freestyle and Lani Pallister (pictured) swam a sizzling 800m freestyle.

McKeown was under her own 200m backstroke world record pace at the halfway mark in Adelaide before easing up to touch in 2mins 04.47secs with Hannah Fredericks also booking a seat to Singapore, touching in 2:09.54.

Chalmers, who has won a medal in the 100m free at three consecutive Olympics, including gold on debut in Rio 2016, surged home in 47.29 with Flynn Southam (47.69) also qualifying.

“Fastest time in Australia that I’ve ever done, so super happy with that,” Chalmers said.

“I’m just trusting what I have been doing in training, listening to what my coaches are telling me. trusting that we’ve done the work.”

Chalmers, the 2023 world champion, has also qualified for the 50m free.

With Ariarne Titmus taking the season off, Pallister smashed her teammate’s Australian record in the 800m, ripping 8:10.84, the third fastest time ever.

“I’ve wanted that record for so long,” Pallister said.

“I have a lot to thank her for with what she’s done in inspiring me as an athlete.”

BREAKOUT: ‘THIS ONE’S FOR DAD’

After the longest of waits for the timing pad, MLC Aquatic’s David Schlicht finally paid tribute to his late dad the best way he knew possible … by making his first Australian long course senior team.

In the men’s 200 IM, the 25-year-old touched in 1:58.10 with Will Petric an eyelash behind in 1:58.25 to book two seats to the Singapore World Championships.

Schlicht, who trained under Michael Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman at Arizona State University in the US and was only 0.03 seconds behind Petric in the chase for the national title in Brisbane last April, lost his dad after Short Course Trials in September at the very same pool.

“It was a bit anti-climactic touching the wall and not seeing a time but I’m just glad that the time eventually came up and it was a great swim so I can’t complain,” Schlicht said.

“I lost my dad late last year, the day after Short Course Trials. He was my biggest supporter in the pool. You know he always believed in me and I’d always talk swimming with him all the time. So I don’t think I could dedicate it (tonight’s swim) to anyone else.”

Now permanently back in Australia, Schlicht said his experience at ASU, including training with Olympians Leon Marchand and Ryan Held, has made him a better racer.

But the CSCAA All-American in the 200 and 400 IM hasn’t forgotten his old mate.

“That’s also a massive drive for me to want to go over there, just to see all my mates again. Now we’re spread out all over the world and it’s a lot harder to see them. I used to see them every single day, so I really miss them a lot and it’s good that I can see them again in Singapore.”

In other events:

Women’s 200m Backstroke: Kaylee McKeown I Hannah Fredericks

“I want to go to a third Olympics. I want to be on American soil and show them what the Aussies have,” McKeown said.

“I am happy with that (about racing the fastest time of the year in the world). It’s a good step in the right direction.

“It doesn’t matter what you do here, it depends what you do on the day in an international meet. I could do world records here, get to an international meet and come in last. So it really doesn’t matter what I do here, what form I’m in, I’ve got to get my mind right and see what I can in a few weeks time.”

For second-placed Fredericks, tonight’s 2:09.54 locked in her first Australian cap – ever.

“I’ve never been on a junior team, senior team. I was a bit late to (swimming). I’ve only kind of improved with Dean (Boxall) drastically but … I can’t put into words how grateful I am. We race the best in the world time and time again … and I can’t put into words how I feel,” Fredericks said.

Men’s 100m freestyle: Kyle Chalmers

“This is my 10th year on the Australian Swimming Team now, this is my 14th Trials. It goes so quickly. It doesn’t feel like it was that long ago when I was arriving here for London 2012 Trials. And I remember standing in the urinal next to Geoff Huegill and I got stage fright, had to go into the cubicle,” he said.

“Your swimming career goes so quickly, and I think you’ve just got to slow down and enjoy it. That’s why I’m here, backing up racing year after year, and I’m desperate to be here because you don’t know when it’s going to end.

“It’s been a long time since my body’s felt this good, if ever in my career … I’m doing less, I’m having fun, and probably not as stressed about doing things away from the pool as well. Like I’d go building, but I’d be cautious about doing stuff.

“Now, I’m just doing whatever I want to do, and it seems to be working. I’ve seen the physio twice this whole year, compared to the lead up to Tokyo I was seeing the physio every single day, if not twice a day. So it’s been an amazing turnaround, and I’m stoked my body’s feeling this good and that’s why I want to capitalise on it while I can because I know it’s not going to feel this good forever.”

Women’s 800m Freestyle: Lani Pallister

When asked about keeping the 200m in her program, in which she has qualified for alongside the 400 and 800 with the 1500m event to go, Pallister said: “Absolutely not. I’ve already told Dean (Boxall) … I don’t want it.”

“The 200 is not an event that I particularly like as an individual swim. It’s one for me that when I go into the relay, it’s so much fun, and I get to go and stand behind the blocks with some of my best friends and get up and show the world what we can all do together.

“The 400, 800 and 1500, I’m pretty used to doing … so I’m not stressed about the load whatsoever.”

Men’s 100m breaststroke multi class: Jake Michel
The mighty Jake Michel is in red-hot shape for Singapore and if his six PBs this week weren’t enough to prove it, Michel posted back-to-back national records and a Paralympic gold-winning time in the men’s 100m breaststroke multi class.

In Paris, Michel claimed silver in the 100m breaststroke (SB14) behind Canada’s Nicholas Bennet (1:03.98). His time in Adelaide was a national record (1:03.74), cementing his spot on the team bound for Singapore World Para Swimming Championships.

“I’m really happy with how the week’s gone, I’ve PB’d in every single race …Training has really come together, especially with all the technique work we’ve done at Chandler (pool). It’s made a big difference and hopefully by Singapore I can go even quicker,” said Michel.

Women’s 200m butterfly: Brittany Castelluzzo
Inspiring one of the loudest cheers of the meet, local girl Brittany Castelluzzo broke through a wall of Dolphins to lock in her first gold cap.

Tea Tree Gully’s Castelluzzo is set to become a Dolphin courtesy of her winning time (2:06.91). She is joined by Paris Olympian Abbey Connor from USC Spartans (2:07.14).

But the fastest entrant Lizzy Dekkers (2:07.36) and Budapest short course Dolphin Bella Grant (2:08.78) didn’t make it easy on them with all four stroke-for-stroke in the final 50m and all four finished within the qualifying time of 2:09.21.

Women’s 100m breaststroke multi class: Paige Leonhardt
After missing out by 0.24 of a second in the heat, Paige the Lion Heart knew she had only one last shot at Singapore in tonight’s 100m breaststroke multi class final. Triple Paralympian Leonhardt (SB14) got the job done to post a qualifying time of 1:17.61 in the final.

“It feels so good to make team. My main events are the 100 fly and 100 breast, so I’m a sprinter at heart … I really didn’t want to leave here without hitting a QT, especially after missing it in the fly,” said Leonhardt.

“So, to come back tonight and get it (QT) feels like redemption.”

Leonhardt’s close friend and training partner at Southport Olympic Keira Stephens (1:18.61) just missed qualifying by a heart breaking 0.19s.