McKeown cruises to 100m backstroke crown at Australian trials
Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown cruised to the 100 backstroke title at the Australian world championship trials (Brenton Edwards)
Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown eased to the 100m backstroke title at the Australian trials on Monday as she builds towards another showdown with American arch-rival Regan Smith at the Singapore world championships.
McKeown, whose world record was taken by Smith last year, coasted home at Adelaide in 57.71 seconds ahead of Olympic 200m freestyle champion Mollie O'Callaghan (58.85), who also qualified.
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McKeown and Smith share the 20 fastest times in history with their showdown at the worlds in Singapore next month shaping as another major highlight in their storied rivalry.
"There's still a lot of work that needs to go in, but that's just where I am at the moment," said McKeown, who holds the world record in the 50m and 200m backstroke.
"I had a really good underwater, so happy with that."
Fresh off an eye-opening performance in the 200m medley on Monday night, Ella Ramsay also qualified for the 100m breaststroke in 1:06.86.
But Ramsay -- now under the wing of British breaststroke king Adam Peaty's ex-coach Mel Marshall -- was stunned by another young prospect in 16-year-old Sienna Toohey who clocked a career-best 1:06.55.
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"I'm so excited because I've worked so hard. I was so nervous," said Toohey, who was in tears afterwards.
Another fast-improving star is Alex Perkins, who posted a sizzling personal best to win the 100m butterfly on Monday and make the plane to Singapore next month.
She followed it up with the second fastest time ever by an Australian in the 50m butterfly heats and went even faster to win the final in 25.36.
Lily Price, second to Perkins in the 100m butterfly, repeated the feat over 50m with both women potential medal prospects.
"It's good to be able to convert faster from heats to finals," said Perkins. "I felt like I nailed my race plan."
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Only American Gretchen Walsh has swum quicker than Perkins this year.
Another new talent announced himself in the men's 200m freestyle with 20-year-old Ed Sommerville scorching to the wall in 1:44.93, the world's second fastest this year behind German ace Lukas Maertens.
Sam Short, who had already secured his ticket to Singapore in the 400m freestyle, qualified in second.
"I'm glad to show what I can do," said Sommerville, who has had success in short-course swimming but was competing in his first long-course 200m freestyle in two years.
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