World Championships trials: Emma McKeon beats Ariarne Titmus in 200m freestyle

Emma McKeon has given herself a big confidence boost with a surprise win at the World Championships swimming trials. However Mack Horton struggled in the 800m.

Emma McKeon (right) hugs Ariarne Titmus after winning the 200m freestyle final. Picture: AAP

Emma McKeon shocked even herself on Tuesday night by upsetting starlet Ariarne Titmus because she thought her best sprinting over 200m freestyle was over.

Instead, the versatile ace from the Gold Coast cranked out her fastest 200m since 2016 to dominate the final at the World Championships trials at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.

McKeon (1 min 54.55 sec) won from the front in the second fastest time in the world this year but the good news was Titmus (1:55.09) also swimming a qualifying time for second to stay part of a huge race script in South Korea next month.

Titmus and McKeon will both now take their shot at American superstar Katie Ledecky and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in the four-lap race.

Emma McKeon celebrates winning the 200m freestyle on Tuesday night. Picture: Getty Images

They will also be the core of a strong 4 x 200m relay squad with third-placed Shayna Jack and Perth’s Brianna Throssell.

“For a bit, I thought I’d lost it with being in the mix for the 200 but tonight gives me a lot of confidence,” McKeon said.

“I’m definitely shocked...I wasn’t expecting to do a personal best for the first time in this race since the 2016 Olympic trials.

“I’d probably lost some confidence over the last few years and with not being able to do as much training with the shoulder.

“The good thing is it’s probably giving me these performances now because I have been working on the mental side.”

McKeon has still excelled with 34 international medals but, at 25, there are milestones still ahead.

Emma McKeon (right) hugs Ariarne Titmus after winning the 200m freestyle final. Picture: AAP

“Sometimes I used to get too caught in watching where everyone else is so a big thing has been working on the mental side,” McKeon said.

Titmus was unruffled: “It’s one of my fastest swims and I get to do it again in five weeks at worlds so I’m excited about it.

“Not many people get the advantage of racing one of the top competitors domestically.”

Sports fans have short memories because before the waves of adulation for Titmus’ rise in the pool, McKeon was the darling tipped to sweep gold galore at last year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

The niggling shoulder flattened her campaign although that’s all relative because she still won a fine 100m butterfly gold and three more in slick relays.

Mack Horton after the 800m freestyle on Tuesday night. Picture: AAP

The fate of misfiring Olympic champion Mack Horton is in the hands of Australia’s swimming selectors with a third strike on Tuesday night when trying to qualify for an individual event at the World Championships.

Horton (8 min 01.30 sec) swam nearly 10 seconds outside the qualifying time he needed in the 800m freestyle when a distant third at the trials.

It probably spoke most of all that the popular Horton had already fired his best shots in missing out in the 400m on Sunday and in Monday night’s hot 200m final.

His fifth in the 200m is still likely to be his backdoor passport to the world titles in Gwangju, South Korea next month because it guarantees him a relay spot.

Once on the team, he can be parachuted into an individual 400m freestyle swim because his time met world body FINA’s qualifying mark, if not the tougher standard to automatically make this Australian team.

We’ll have to stop talking about Horton not swimming his best or aiming at different races because each time it detracts from the huge progress of Brisbane’s Jack McLoughlin, who blitzed the 800m freestyle (7:46.79) to go with his 400m win.

Gold Coast-based David Morgan (1:55.26) won the 200m butterfly to book his seat on the plane.