Budapest World Short Course: Day 4 Heats Wrap

AT the halfway mark of the World Short Course Championships in Budapest and a “pleased” Dolphins campaign coach Simon Cusack has applauded his rookie-heavy Australian team.

Nine rookies are making their senior debut at these championships, and they have relished the opportunity to close the year out alongside senior members such as Elijah Winnington, Meg Harris, Lani Pallister and Matt Temple.

The 24-member team has clocked 13 PBs thus far which has helped put the Dolphins third on the medal table with 2 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze behind the USA and Canada. Cusack in particular paid tribute to the contribution of relay swimmers.

“The rookies have just been so pleasing, they’ve been able to manage their own individual workloads and then play a key role in the relays … we’ve had a really good few days and some will get better the deeper we go into this meet,” Cusack said.

Freestyler Ed Sommerville had his best swim of the campaign in today’s heats, anchoring the men’s 4x200m free relay team to touch in 1:42.01 and help Australia (Elijah Winnington, David Schlicht, Harry Turner) qualify second behind USA for tonight’s final.

Butterflyer Alex Perkins is also enjoying a festive season form surge and tonight will line up in the women’s semifinal of the 100m butterfly after clocking 55.97. Dolphins teammate and rookie Lily Price (56.50) also qualified.

Perkins, who has posted two PBs at this meet and won a bronze in 50m fly and silver as part of the 4x100m free relay, said: “I think I am just swimming happy. I am so more relaxed, short course is fun. There’s a great vibe in the team area, I really wanted to target this meet to get back into a routine after the Olympics.”

The Dolphins will feature in seven finals tonight including Matt Temple in the semifinal of the 100m butterfly; and Olympic relay medallist Josh Yong in the final of the men’s 200m breaststroke. Tiana Kritzinger also hits the water in the women’s 1500m.

Backstrokers Isaac Cooper and Iona Anderson will also swim in tonight’s 50m finals.

Cooper, the world long course champion, qualified 6th (22.79) and recently won the 2024 Swimming World Cup in Shanghai and Singapore.

In the women’s 50m back, West Australian Anderson edged out Japan’s Mizuki Hirai (26.26) by just 0.01 to secure the last spot with her semifinal time of 26.25.

World Short Course Day 4 Heats Results (Q = qualified for finals)

Women’s 200m Breaststroke
Tara Kinder 2:21.91 (Did not qualify)

Men’s 200m Breaststroke
Josh Collett 2:04.48 (Did not qualify)
Josh Yong 2:04.15 Q #8

Women’s 100m Butterfly
Alex Perkins 55.97 Q #4
Lily Price 56.50 Q #10

Men’s 100m Butterfly
Matt Temple 49.45 Q #6

Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay
Elijah Winnington, David Schlicht, Harrison Turner& Ed Sommerville 6:53.50 Q #2

Women’s 1500m Freestyle
Moesha Johnson 15:45.07 (Timed heat)

Watch all the action live and free with final sessions from 3.30am AEDT on Nine.