Australian swimming team for World Championships named after national trials
Cam McEvoy’s left-field plan paid off on the final night of the national trials, but Cody Simpson had a tougher night in the pool. See the full world championships team.
Swimming
Don't miss out on the headlines from Swimming. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Cam McEvoy’s radical plan to change Australian swimming forever isn’t looking so crazy after all.
Experimenting with a left-field idea where he hopes to swim faster by spending less time training in the water, McEvoy gave a head-spinning demonstration of his wild theory to book his place in the Dolphins team for next month’s world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
The evergreen sprinter outshone his younger rivals to win the men’s 50m freestyle, posting a sizzling 21.27 seconds in the heat then 21.41 in the final to jump to No.1 in the world rankings.
“Not only is it awesome to be back swimming fast and being in contention for your podium spots, doing personal best times, but it’s really potentially opened the door for a much longer career,” he said.
“I’m 29 now, so originally I thought I was getting to the end of my career. But from a year-to-year perspective, I could be at the halfway point.”
Shayna Jack also showed a clean pair of heels, holding off the Olympic champion Emma McKeon to win the women’s 50m free in a slick 24.22.
Jack moved to No.2 in the world rankings while securing her place in the 38-member team for Japan, which includes eight open water competitors.
“This week has been a bit of a rollercoaster for emotions,” Jack said.
“I was feeling a lot of pressure going into this, actually. So I just wanted to execute the best way I could and have fun with it. That’s exactly what I did.”
The team includes Tokyo Olympic champions McKeon, Kaylee McKeown, Ariarne Titmus and Zac-Stubblety-Cook as well as defending world champions Elijah Winnington and Mollie O’Callaghan plus Commonwealth Games gold medallist Kyle Chalmers, Kai Taylor, the teenage son of former star Hayley Lewis, made the team for the first time after his win in the 200m freestyle.
Former pop star Cody Simpson did not make the team after finishing fifth in the men’s 100m butterfly final, needing to be in the top two.
“I’m excited about this team,” Australian head coach Rohan Taylor said.
“We’ve got a great mix of experienced campaigners and some young blood coming through.
“These world championships are such an important stepping stone in what is a big 12 months before the Paris Olympics.
“We have an amazing team, they’re hard working, authentic and it’s always about improvement. Our goal is always to have as many high-ranked athletes going into meets and when we do that, we get conversions.”
Australian team for next month’s world championships in Fukuoka:
MEN
Jack Cartwright
Kyle Chalmers
Shaun Champion
Isaac Cooper
Alex Graham
Cam McEvoy
Tommy Neill
Sam Short
Brendon Smith
Flynn Southam
Zac Stubblety-Cook
Kai Taylor
Matt Temple
Sam Williamson
Elijah Winnington
Brad Woodward
Men (open water)
Kyle Lee
Nick Sloman
Jack Wilson
WOMEN
Abbey Connor
Lizzie Dekkers
Jenna Forrester
Abbey Harkin
Meg Harris
Shayna Jack
Moesha Johnson
Emma McKeon
Kaylee McKeown
Kiah Melverton
Mollie O’Callaghan
Lani Pallister
Brianna Throssell
Ariarne Titmus
Madi Wilson
Women (open water)
Bailey Armstrong
Bianca Crisp
Maddy Gough
Chelsea Gubecka
Moesha Johnson
More Coverage
Originally published as Australian swimming team for World Championships named after national trials
Why Australia’s golden swim team could soon face Russian treatment
Australia’s champion swimmers are facing the humiliating possibility of competing at future international events as ‘neutrals’, like Russian and Belarusian athletes, as Swimming Australia faces expulsion from the world’s governing body.
Newly engaged Magnussen quits Australia to pursue $1m bounty
Newly engaged James Magnussen will move to the United States after he was effectively banned from training in Australia in his pursuit of a $1 million bounty at the Enhanced Games.