James Magnussen sending rivals a message
WORLD 100m freestyle swimming champion James Magnussen believes his sizzling early-year form is ringing alarm bells among his overseas rivals.
Magnussen 20, who burst onto the international scene last year with his sensational world title win, clocked a blistering 48.05sec to win the South Australian 100m title in Adelaide last month.
He will have his final hitout before next month’s national championships and Olympic trials at this weeks’s NSW titles in Sydney.
Asked if he was sending his overseas opposition a message with his scintillating form in Adelaide, Magnussen told AAP: “I think it would kind of have to. To be swimming those times without taper has got to send alarm bells.”
As for his expectations this week, Magnussen said “just to improve on that mark that I set in Adelaide would be a bonus”.
He hoped to go under 48 seconds in Sydney, but said that wasn’t a specific goal.
Magnussen will contest the 50, 100 and 200m freestyle events.
The Port Macquarie-bred speedster has won world, national, Queensland and South Australian 100m titles, but has yet to claim the senior NSW championship over that distance.
Touted as Australia’s great swimming hope at the London Olympics, Magnussen said he was enjoying the extra pressure and exposure and it wasn’t a burden.
