Barratt Takes Third at Australian Swimming Trials

Holly Barratt took third place in the final of the women’s 100m backstroke on night two of finals at the Australian Swimming Trials in Brisbane.

The 31 year-old was up against a crack field and the final delivered on that promise with two athletes dipping under the automatic qualifying time (59.82sec) for the 2019 World Championships.

Fastest qualifier Minna Atherton backed up on her heat effort, to take victory in 59.20 where she was closely followed by Kaylee McKeown (59.28).

Barratt’s 1:00.24 was good enough for third place, in front of champion swimmer and 200m specialist Emily Seebohm.

WA had two competitors in the men’s 100m back final, but neither could match the pace at the front, with Mitch Larkin setting an impressive 52.38 to comfortably finish under the required time of 53.76. Kevin Kalember was sixth in 56.44 whilst Zac Incerti took eighth place in 57.61.

Night three of finals will see two events with strong WA chances, with the already qualified Brianna Throssell looking to press her credentials in the women’s 200m free, before Grant Irvine and Nicholas Brown take centre lanes as fastest qualifiers in the men’s 200m fly final.

Throssell was third fastest qualifier in 1:57.90 behind Emma McKeon (1:56.76) and Shayna Jack (1:57.50). The packed final will also feature Commonwealth Games record holder Ariarne Titmus – who was fifth fastest through in 1:58.26.

A top six finish would put Throssell right in the frame for the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team in Korea.

The men’s 200m fly final appears a race between three, although the spectre of qualifying time will add further intrigue.

1:55.58 is the magic mark required, with Irvine hitting the wall in 1:57.50 and Brown in 1:57.56 during heats. David Morgan was third fastest in qualification in 1:58.55.