Cruise missile wins in Sydney

World champion James ‘the Missile’ Magnussen has continued his 14-race winning streak in the 100m freestyle by cruising to gold in 49.02, at the NSW State Championships in Sydney.

The Sydney sprinter who was last beaten over this distance at the corresponding event 12 months ago turned first at the far end of the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre pool, before holding off the fast finishing Gold Coast teenCameron McEvoy (49.44) and AIS-based Tommaso D’Orsogna (49.46).   

Magnussen’s time was nearly a second slower than the time he posted at last month’s SA State Championships – a fact the Port Macquarie product put down to his gruelling ‘roller-coaster’ preparations ahead of next month’s 2012 Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide.

“I will have to see what coach Best thought of that swim, but its definitely not fun going that slow”, said Magnussen.

“It’s kind of around where I expected to be after I stung out in the morning heats. Maybe that will change the $1.60 (Olympics) odds now.”

Beijing triple gold medallist Stephanie Rice, who has had a disrupted preparation with a shoulder injury has finished second to Samantha Hamill in the 400m IM. Hamill, the Sunshine Coast star, looks primed to make her second Olympic team after cruising into the wall first in 4:40.21, to take bragging rights into next month’s Olympic qualifier.

The 23-year-old Rice, who was excited about the ‘adrenaline’ the race brought back, finished a body length back in 4:42.29, while Kiwi Natalie Wiegersma won bronze in 4:46.66.

Competing for the first time since defeating Michael Phelps at the Santa Clara Grand Prix in California mid-last year, Nick D’Arcy has posted the fastest international 200m butterfly time of the year, touching the timing pad in 1:56.90.

Following the talented 24-year-old into the wall was Queenslander Chris Wright (1:57.34) and Sydney swimmer Daniel Tranter (2:00.35).

In the women’s 100m freestyle it was 2012 Victorian State Championships winner Melanie Schlanger who continued her white-hot form leading into next month’s Australian Swimming Championships taking the NSW title in a new personal best of 53.74.

The Glenn Baker coached sprinter, who was a member of the 2008 Beijing Olympic team, was too strong for the ever improving Queenslander Brittany Elmslie (55.02) and 2008 Olympian Angie Bainbridge (55.04).

Come back queen Libby Trickett finished seventh in 55.54.

In other events…

Women’s 800m freestyle  

The super talented Sunshine Coast swimmer Remy Fairweather has broken Hayley Lewis’s long standing 14-years age 800m freestyle record to etch her name into the record books and take the NSW State title in 8:31.69. Kiwi Lauren Boyle, ten years her senior, was second in 8:32.45, while Jessica Ashwood competing in her home pool was third in 8:36.73.

Women’s 100m breaststroke

Gold Coast 20-year-old and 50m breaststroke Commonwealth Games gold medallist Leiston Pickett has upstaged a more experience field to take out the two lap breaststroke dash in an encouraging 1:07.36.  

Following the 2011 World Championships team member into the wall was Victorian Sarah Katsoulis (1:07.8) and Japan’s Mio Motegi (1:08.95), while defending Olympic champion Leisel Jones, who is in a very heavy training phase, finished seventh in 1:09.00.

Women’s 200m backstroke

Shanghai World Championship silver medallist Belinda Hocking, who is based at the AIS, took out the 200m backstroke by a fingernail in 2:09.04, from domestic sparring partner Meagen Nay (2:09.14). Rounding out the top three was Kiwi ace Melissa Ingram in 2:12.66.

Men’s 400m freestyle

In the men’s 400m freestyle it was Korea’s defending Olympic champion Park Tae Hwan who led from start to finish winning gold in 3:45.57 – a time that places him third fastest in the world in 2012.  

Wests Illawarra’s David McKeon, sharpening his skills ahead of the Australian Swimming Championships in March, snared silver in 3:48.20, while Kiwi Matt Stanley was third in 3:50.81.

Women’s 50m butterfly

1. M GUEHRER 26.55  
2. Y KUKLA 26.73
3. L TAO 26.73

Men’s 50m breaststroke

1. G SNYDERS 27.99
2. B RICKARD 28.20
3. L WESTGAARD 28.81

Men’s 50m backstroke

1. D ARNAMNART 25.09
2. G KEAN 25.28
3. H STOECKEL 25.28
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