KERR-CHING for Josh on Day 6 Finals of Aussie Age Champs

A fist slap from Josh Kerr after a late scratching from Flynn Southam, a composed Milla Jansen (pictured) in a world-class junior field, and a national record in the girls’ 4x100m medley relay all featured on Day 6 finals of the Australian Age Championships on the Gold Coast.

Kerr (Manly) took advantage of the re-seeded Boys 18 years 50m freestyle to clock 23.14, ahead of Kalaa Hall (23.17, St Andrew’s) and Koby Bujak-Upton (23.20, Knox Pymble).

But it was the withdrawal of Senior Dolphin Southam that helped Kerr with clear water. Southam, the 200m and 400m gold medallist at this meet, decided to skip the final after feeling a twinge in his back during warm-up.

For World Junior record holder Jansen, her win in the 17 years 50m freestyle final came against a field studded with World Junior and Commonwealth Youth Games medallists.

With Olivia Wunsch (Carlile) on one side, Inez Miller (Fenix) on the other, Hannah Casey (Bond) and Jaclyn Barclay (St Peters Western) also lining up, it took 24.86 to win gold.

Wunsch, who has had a limited preparation due to Year 12 study commitments, took silver (25.03) and Casey (25.65) bronze.

It was an entrée to the teen queens of breaststroke Pope and Sienna Toohey.

Pope (2:29.12, Miami) held off the fast finishing and big improver Toohey (2:29.52, Albury) while Lucy Porter (2:32.20, St Hildas, WA) finished third (2:32.20).

Pope has been unbeaten at National Age in the 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke for the past two years.

But Toohey, just before her 15^th birthday, became the fastest 14-year-old 100m breaststroker since Leisel Jones with a  1:07.79 last month,

The two do battle again in the 100m breaststroke on Saturday.

But the first record to fall at this meet was claimed by Bond University relay team who upstaged St Peters Western in the 4x100m medley relay for 13-17 years age group.

The team of Ainsley Trotter, Kayla Brown, Mikayla Bird and Jansen clocked 4:09.84 – beating the old mark of 4:10.82 set by St Peters Western in 2018.

In other results:

• Girls 16 years 100m butterfly:

With a second lap surge, Mikayla Bird (Bond, Chris Mooney) took the chocolates in 59.97sec and cemented her third straight Australian Age title in this event. Isabella Osborn (MLC Aquatic, 1:00.41) finished second and Olivia Hine (Somerville House, 1:00.67)  third.

• Boys 17 Years 100m butterfly:

A PB of 54.66 from Churchie’s William Shepherd-Smith – all the way over in Lane 7 – saw the 17-year shock the field to take gold, James Gauci (SOPAC, 54.75) second and prolific age medallist and defending age group titleholder Ike Martinez (Rackley, 54.91) third.

• Boys 18 years 100m breaststroke:

He went in as the dominant age group breaststroker and Gideon Burnes delivered his very own Burnes notice to dominate the final. The Bond University swimmer, coached by Chris Mooney, touched in 1:01.77 with Rackley’s Fiachra Murphy-Bartlett second (1:03.83) and Southport’s Ryan Cothill third (1:04.11).

• Girls 15-17 years 800m freestyle:

She was the youngest in the field in an event whose previous winners included Tracey Wickham, Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky. Chandler’s Ava Gaske was chasing a Junior Pan Pacs qualifier as she led from the front to touch the wall in 8:48.84 – the first in a field of 15, 16 and 17-year-olds.

• Day 6 heats start 9am Friday
• Live results can be found at https://liveresults.swimming.org.au/sal/2024Age/
• Don’t miss the Australian Age Championships live and free on 9Now