Day 3 Nat Age Champs: Fast and the Curious

THE pace lifted sharply on Day 3 of the Australian Age Championships with the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre hosting a fast and record-breaking big night of finals.

Australian records, all-comers records, Junior Pan Pac qualifying times and PBs – and that was just in the first four events.

Leny Grigor smashed Mitch Larkin’s 400IM Australian record in the 16 years final – a record set 16 years ago – his 4:16.15 erasing Larkin’s 4:20.48.

Not to be outdone, Trinity Grammar’s Christopher Montana continued his rise, smashing his own national record in the boys’ 16-year 50m breaststroke that he had set this morning.

His new mark of 27.84 to win gold further cements his dominance in the age group.

And then it was the furious splash and dash of the boys’ 18 years’ 50m freestyle.

Cranbrook’s Ollie Moclair backed up his morning statement swim, in which he broke his own national record in 21.73 – a time that would have been a world junior record had he not been turning 19 this year, by ripping a 21.89.

“I really am focusing on my sprint training. Now I don’t do anything more than 2km, I have move away from traditional training and I have had so much progress,” Moclair said.

“I am not worried about missing the world junior record this morning. My goal right now is to become the fastest 18-year-old of all time, Caeleb Dressel holds it at 21.53 and I am curious how fast I can go – I have until August to work this out and I am so looking forward to Trials.”

In all four national records were set and nine qualifying swims registered in front of selectors for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships.

But the race of the night:

The girls’ 13-14 1500m Freestyle

In the race of the night, Molly Young held off fast-finishing Singaporean Sarah Sim to claim race honours by a fingernail.

It was hard to miss the bright orange caps of Carlile Swim Club with four representatives all gunning for gold in the timed final. Molly Young and Mia Hoo lead the ranks of the 13-year girls as Hannah Jamieson and Laura Pettigrew made waves in the older age group.

Young touched the wall first (17:09.16) with Sim a fingernail behind at 17:09.26. Hoo was third quickest overall (17:25.66) but will pick up a silver medal for efforts as the second-placed Australian in the 13-year age group.

Fourteen-year-old Hannah Jamieson touched in at 17:34.28 ahead of Laura Pettigrew (17:46.31).

In other results:

Boys’ 15y 50m Breaststroke: Koa Stotz from Somerset claimed gold in the 15-year boys’ 50m breaststroke in a national age record time. Stotz lowered the previous mark of 28.47 (set by Christopher Montana) to a new national-best time of 28.32. Cohen Tarrant (Somerset) touched second at 29.34, followed by Xavier Eagle (Caulfield – 29.43).

Girls’ 17y 200m Butterfly: Rocky City’s Amelie Smith held off a gaining Delta Cross (Highlanders) to secure her third gold medal of the meet. Smith stopped the clock at 2:13.41 ahead of WA’s Cross (2:13.92) and American visitor Alba Arnall (2:14.36). Ava Gaske from Chandler will also pick up a bronze as the third Australian to finish (2:16.15).

Girls’ 16y 100m Backstroke: Heidi Shumack claimed her second national title of the meet, adding a 100m backstroke gold to her 200m fly. Shumack’s winning time of 1:01.20 was more than a second faster than next best Allegra Crean (Marion – 1:02.29) and Jessica Melo (Miami – 1:03.21).