Cody Simpson keeps World Champs dream alive in dramatic swim-off at Aussie trials

Cody Simpson has kept his dream of going to next month’s World Championships alive in dramatic fashion at the Aussie trials.

Cody Simpson won his swim off.

Cody Simpson briefly kept his dream of going to the World Swimming Championships alive, qualifying for the 100m freestyle final at the Aussie trials in dramatic fashion.

In Friday morning’s heats, Simpson finished equal eighth fastest in a time of 49.54 — the exact same time as 20-year-old Jamie Jack.

With only eight swimmers progressing to the evening’s final, Simpson and Jack had to swim off against each other an hour later for the last spot in the final.

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They were the only two swimmers in the pool at the Melbourne Aquatics Centre and Simpson just got the win in a time of 49.36 compared to Jack’s 49.50.

Head-to-head swim offs are a bizarre quirk of competitive swimming but interestingly, both Simpson and Jack swam slightly faster than their initial heat time.

Cody Simpson owns the water to win this morning’s swim-off against Jamie Jack and steal a place in tonight’s final. 💪

Watch the men’s 100m freestyle from 7pm on @9now tonight. 👀 #WorldTrials2023pic.twitter.com/Z99dbUPFwn

— Swimming Australia (@SwimmingAUS) June 16, 2023

It meant Simpson went into Friday night’s 100m freestyle final from lane 8.

Olympic gold medallist Kyle Chalmers (48.09) was the fastest qualifier ahead of former Australian representative Jack Cartwright (48.21) and young gun Flynn Southam (48.75).

Cody Simpson endured every swimmer’s nightmare, a swim-off. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The 100m freestyle loomed as arguably Simpson’s best chance at selection for next month’s world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Traditionally, Australian selectors take the top six swimmers for the 4x100m relay, so Simpson is in with a shot.

And as Kai Taylor, the son of Aussie swimming legend Hayley Lewis, showed by winning the 200m freestyle final earlier this week, funny things can happen from lane 8.

But it wasn’t to be for Simpson, who finished the final in seventh in a time of 49.11.

Chalmers won in a slick time of 47.44 ahead of Southam, who also made the world championships qualifying time in 47.77.

On Wednesday, Simpson finished fourth in the 50m butterfly in a time of 23.48 behind winner Cameron McEvoy (23.07) and just 0.02 behind second place in a tight final.

Cody’s world champs hopes are still alive. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Cody Simpson won his 100m freestyle swim off. Photo: Instagram

The 26-year-old will also swim the 100m butterfly on Sunday and could qualify for the world championships if he finishes in the top two and is under the qualifying time.

But that could be a tough task, given Simpson will be up against Chalmers and Australian record holder Matt Temple.

Simpson is aiming to make his second Australian Dolphins team after he competed at last year’s Commonwealth Games.

In Birmingham, he finished fifth in the 100m butterfly and claimed a gold and silver medal as a heat swimmer in the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays.

Originally published as Cody Simpson keeps World Champs dream alive in dramatic swim-off at Aussie trials