Irvine Reminds Selectors of Talents
Grant Irvine has provided selectors with a timely reminder of his abilities after the 28 year-old claimed second place in men’s 200m fly in Brisbane.
On night three of finals at the 2019 Australian Selection Trials, Irvine went head to head with long-term rival and fellow Australian Dolphins team member David Morgan in the event widely regarded as the most physically taxing on the swimming roster.
Having relocated to Perth from Brisbane to work with Michael Palfery and the UWA West Coast club ahead of the 2019 domestic season, Irvine had an interrupted preparation after shoulder surgery and rehab had curbed his national championship campaign in Adelaide in April.
Back the familiar surrounds of Brisbane however, Irvine showed he is nearing his best, clocking 1:55.89 for second place behind Morgan in 1:55.26.
Morgan earned himself an automatic qualifying time for the July’s World Championships in Korea, whilst Irvine’s time was just under a third of a second short of the standard. A strong swim in the 100m fly could further strengthen the Commonwealth medallist’s claims.
His club training mate Nicholas Brown faded in the back 50 to slip from contention, finishing fourth in 1:57.31. Brown made his Dolphins debut at last year’s World Short Course Championships in China.
The women’s 200m freestyle final was red-hot as expected, with Emma McKeon winning it in 1:54.55 ahead of Ariarne Titmus (1:55.09). Both women were well under the automatic qualifying time, whilst Shayna Jack (1:56.37) and WA’s Brianna Throssell (1:56.62) were right on the fringe too, suggesting Australia is set to form a formidable 4×200 freestyle relay team at this year’s world titles.
In day four morning heats, Throssell and dual Olympian Blair Evans both topped the qualifying times in their respective events ahead of tonight’s finals.
Throssell will battle Laura Taylor and a required time of 2:07.82 in the 200m fly final, whilst Evans is the top seed in the women’s 400m IM.
Throssell swam a conservative 2:10.90 in qualification, but will need to go faster than her time of 2:08.82 in last year’s Commonwealth Games final on the Gold Coast if she’s to meet the automatic benchmark.
Evans swam 4:44.98 this morning and will need to drop under 4:37.14 for automatic selection. Evans clocked 4:41.97 for bronze at April’s Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide.
19 year-old Ashton Brinkworth qualified sixth fastest for tonight’s blue riband men’s 100m freestyle final which is headlined by Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers who swam an imposing 47.91 in qualifying.
That time was easily under the 48.31 automatic qualifying banner and was nearly a second lower than second seed Cam McEvoy (48.75).
Brinkworth – who earned World University Games selection at this year’s Australian Championships – clocked 49.31 and will be hoping to elevate himself higher than sixth seed in the final, with relay calculations factored in.
Regardless, the UWA West Coast swimmer has had a highly impressive domestic season to date.
There was frustration for his club mate Zac Incerti, who was disqualified in his heat, meaning he’ll miss the 100m free final.