More short course gold in sight for Titmus

Friday, 14 December 2018:

EMILY SEEBOHM of Australia looks on following the Women's 100m Backstroke Final on the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Optus Aquatic Centre on the Gold Coast, Australia.
EMILY SEEBOHM of Australia looks on following the Women's 100m Backstroke Final on the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Optus Aquatic Centre on the Gold Coast, Australia.


More gold is in Ariarne Titmus' sights after she narrowly missed setting a new Australian record to be top qualifier for the 400m freestyle final at the world short course swimming titles in China.

In day four heats at Hangzhou, Titmus backed up from her stunning 200m freestyle victory earlier in the six-day meet to clock 3 min 58.58 secs - just 0.20 secsoff the national mark - to be the woman to beat in the final.

Remarkably Titmus, 18, almost snatched the record despite easing off in the back half but still finished almost two seconds ahead of her nearest rival, American Leah Smith.

"I hadn't raced since day one so it was nice to blow the cobwebs off," Titmus said.

"I wanted to take it out like I will (in the final) and then see where the field was."

Titmus has secured Australia's only gold at the meet to date after setting a new Commonwealth, Oceania and national mark to win the 200m freestyle final.

The teenager is hoping for more success to cap a remarkable year in which she became the first woman since Tracey Wickham in 1982 to win the Commonwealth 400m-800m double and threatened American great Katie Ledecky at August's Pan Pacs.

Also appearing in day four finals will be Emily Seebohm (100m individual medley, eighth fastest qualifier), Cameron McEvoy (50m freestyle, 4th fastest) and Holly Barratt (50m butterfly, 2nd fastest).

Australia will also contest the men's 4x50m freestyle (fourth fastest) and men's 4x200m freestyle relay finals (fifth fastest).

Titmus will hope to add to Australia's medal tally which stood at just one gold and three bronze at the halfway mark.

In day three finals, Seebohm secured Australia's only medal with 200m backstroke bronze.

On a busy day in which Seebohm contested a total of six races, the Australian veteran led the 200m final under world record pace but was swamped in the last 50m.

Lisa Bratton claimed a surprise gold ahead of fellow American and hot-favourite Kathleen Baker.

Seebohm qualified for the 100m IM medal race then featured in the mixed 4x50m medley relay team which came seventh in the final.

US superstar Caeleb Dressel led the Americans to 4x50m medley relay gold in a new world record (1:36.40).

Night three began with Russian Kirill Prigoda claiming 200m breaststroke gold in a world record (2:00.16).

The US led the medal tally at the halfway mark with nine gold (17 medals in total) with Australia eighth.






AAP