Emily Seebohm falls short as young guns steal show at Australian Swimming Trials

Emily Seebohm’s hopes of winning a third world title in the 200m backstroke were shattered by two teenagers at the Australian Swimming Trials in Brisbane.

• Pool’s favourite sister act torn apart

An era in Australian swimming ended at Chandler on Friday night when Emily Seebohm failed to earn an individual swim at a world championships for the first time since she debuted as a 14-year-old in 2007.

Seebohm, 27, was bidding to become the first swimmer to win three consecutive world titles in the 200m backstroke in South Korea next month but finished third in the trials behind fellow Queenslanders Kaylee McKeown in 2:06.35 and training partner Minna Atherton (2:06.82).

Her time of 2:08.58 was way outside the Australian qualifying mark of 2:07.64 and although she was under the FINA qualifier of 2:11.53, the outstanding performances of 17-year-old McKeown and Atherton, 19, meant there was no hope she would be offered a discretionary start by coach Jacco Verhaeren.

Emily Seebohm finished third in the 200m backstroke at the world swimming trials at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre. Picture: AAP

While it would appear that the two younger swimmers are now ready to take over the mantle as Australia’s top female backstroker, McKeown would not write off Seebohm.

“Some people just don’t have their best meets,” she said. “Emily has been trying some new things and it didn’t work out for her this week but she’ll be back next year, she always is.

“She’s been a great mentor. She has shown me all the ropes since my first team and I can’t thank her enough for that.”

Earlier, Bronte Campbell earned an individual swim with second place in the 50m freestyle, her time of 24.17 secs just 12/100ths of a second behind sister Cate.

“I’m so happy with that,” she said. “I don’t like to give myself a rap but I’m happy with the way I’ve handled the past few days.

“It’s been a very disrupted preparation. I had a year out. I was injured and there’s been the move down to Sydney. I think exactly this time last year I was in Jodhpur, India.

“To come back and swim .05 outside my personal best after all that is really pleasing.”

Cate Campbell (left) edged out her sister Bronte in the final of the 50m freestyle. Picture: AAP

Big sister Cate, who swam 24.05, said the time recorded by both sisters was testament to the success of their move to Sydney.

“A change is as good as a holiday,” she said. “I was a bit worried about the way they would receive us Queenslanders but they have really welcomed us with open arms down there.”

Griffith University’s Thomas Fraser-Holmes won a place in the team with the last swim of the night, qualifying with a 4:14.68 in the men’s 400m individual medley.

Kyle Chalmers made it a clean sweep in the 200-100-50 metres freestyle treble with a win over relay qualifier Cam McEvoy in the 50m but said he would not be swimming the event at Gwangju.

“It was just a bit of fun on the last day,” he said. “I think I’ll leave it to the other boys.”

Olympic 400m champion Mack Horton was another to have a disappointing meet, earning a relay spot but failing to qualify for his pet event, but having beaten the FINA mark and with Jack McLoughlan the only qualifier in the 400m and 800m is expected to be given a discretionary start from Verhaeren.

Kyle Chalmers added the 50m freestyle to his wins in the 100m and 200m freestyle events at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre. Picture: AAP

The coach could not help but be pleased overall with the performances of his swimmers at the trials, especially the female freestylers, who are arguably the fastest group to ever represent Australia, but he knows that it is not trial form that wins medals.

“Our goal is unchanged from last year and the year before,” he said. “We put an emphasis at being better at the benchmark event than at the trials. To win when it matters, to be at your best when it matters, is the most important.

“You want to see times close to world class at the trials and this is why our selection standards are so strong. They have achieved that. Now it’s time to convert.”

The full team to compete in the 18th World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea July 12-28: Minna Atherton, Bronte Campbell, Cate Campbell, Kyle Chalmers, Thomas Fraser-Holmes, Madeline Gough, Alex Graham, Jess Hansen, Mack Horton, Shayna Jack, Mitch Larkin, Clyde Lewis, Cam McEvoy, Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown, Jack McLoughlin, Kiah Melverton, David Morgan, Leah Neale, Jenna Strauch, Zac Stubblety-Cook, Matthew Temple, Brianna Throssell, Ariarne Titmus, Madi Wilson, Matt Wilson, Brad Woodward.

Originally published as Emily Seebohm falls short as young guns steal show at Australian Swimming Trials