Australian Swimming Championships Day 1 Report

Published On: 2 April 2014

WAIS athletes Eamon Sullivan and Yolane Kukla have moved through to finals at the Australia Swimming Championships in Brisbane, whilst fellow WAIS swimmers Lennard Bremer and Katherine Downie have finished fifth in their finals.

Day one of the Australian Championships – which also double as selection trials for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games – saw four WAIS athletes in action.

In the morning session, all four athletes were able to negotiate qualifying, with Bremer and Downie heading straight through to finals, whilst Sullivan and Kukla progressed to semis in the 50m and 100m fly events for men and women respectively.

Bremer was chasing his first Commonwealth Games selection, but with Olympic and World Championship medallist Christian Sprenger in the field, it was always likely to be a race for the minor medals. True to form, Sprenger swam the fastest time in the world for 2014 (2:08.63) to take gold, and with Bremer’s time of 2:13.83 only enough for fifth place, he was unable to earn a nationals medal, nor a coveted spot on the Commonwealth Games team. He will compete in the 100m breastroke on day two, along with fellow WAIS athlete Tommy Sucipto.

Dual Paralympic gold medallist Katherine Downie showed good pace in her final of the 50m freestyle MC event, touching the wall in 29.28 for fifth place, in a race that will be remembered for a world record, to 15 year-old Newcastle resident Maddison Elliott.

Downie has a busy competition schedule in Brisbane, including the women’s 100m freestyle MC on day two of competition, with Commonwealth Games selection remaining a solid prospect for the 18 year-old.

Eamon Sullivan made his first competitive appearance for 2014 in the men’s 50m fly at Nationals, and has safely progressed to the final of the event to be held on day two, after finishing fourth fastest qualifier through the semi finals stage, with a time of 24.13. Nathaniel Romeo is the man to catch, qualifying fastest in 23.82.

Sullivan will be joined in finals action by Yolane Kukla – who qualified sixth fastest (59.36) in the women’s 100m fly, with that final also scheduled for day two of competition. Alicia Coutts was fastest in qualifying, with a time of 58.22.