2025 Australian Open Day 3 Prelims: Ceccon Drops 100 Back, McEvoy And McKeown Take Top Seeds ...Middle East

By Sam Blacker on SwimSwam

2025 AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day 2 of the Australian Open saw another packed prelims session. This morning’s lineup consisted of the women’s 400 IM, men’s 200 free, women’s 10 backstroke, women’s 50 free, men’s 200 breaststroke, women’s 200 fly, men’s 50 backstroke and women’s 100 breaststroke.

As a reminder, this is not the Australian selection meet for the 2025 World Championships. Most swimmers are using this competition as a tune-up for the World Championship Trials, which are set for June 9–14 in Adelaide.

Visiting swimmer Lewis Clareburt was the only man under the 2 minute barrier in the 200 IM this morning, just clipping that mark with a time of 1:59.94. He had a strong opening 100 of 55.78, 1.5 seconds faster than everyone bar third seed William Petric, who has a lighter session tonight than on Day 2 where he swam the 200 free/200 breast double.

David Schlicht split those two with a time of 2:02.77 to put himself in lane 5 tonight, and Se-Bom Lee lurks as the sixth seed after going 2:04.13, off his best of 1:59.37.

Three of those four hold best times under 2:00, with Schlicht the exception but closest this morning to his best time of 2:00.13. Petric represented the Green and Gold in this event in Paris last summer where he placed tenth after swimming 1:57.54 at last years’ trials which made him Australia’s fourth fastest performer all-time.

Ella Ramsay and Tara Kinder led the way in the 200 breaststroke, the third event so far where they have taken the centre lanes for the final after the 200 IM and 400 IM. both held back this morning, Ramsay going 2:27.19 to Kinder’s 2:28.18, well off their best times of 2:22.87 and 2:23.84 respectively.

With Swimming Australia using the World Aquatics ‘A’ times for Singapore qualification rather than setting stiffer cuts like Great Britain, a mark of 2:25.11 will be required in this event. That’s achievable for both of these women tonight, although this is not a qualification meet for the World Championships. After PB’s in the 200 IM and 400 IM so far, Kinder may the favourite.

Sienna Harben, silver medalist on the 50 and bronze medallist on the 100, is the third seed here as the only other woman under 2:30 and will look to make it 3-for-3 on podiums.

Cam McEvoy was imperious in the men’s 50 free, going 21.67 to lead the field by half a second. That matches the time fellow Paris medallist Ben Proud put up in the final at the recent British Championships and is the third-fastest time in the world so far this year, one-hundredth behind fellow Aussie Jamie Jack. Jack took third in 22.24, just behind 2023 world finalist Isaac Cooper‘s 22.16.

Olympians William Yang and Carter Swift (NZL), both of whom swam the 100 in Paris, took fifth and seventh in 22.51 and 22.75. That was a season best for the visiting swimmer and is only 0.26 off his personal best of 22.49 from April last year.

Kaylee McKewon back up her 57.65 100 back from last night with a relaxed 27.64 to take the top seed in the 50, just ahead of Mollie O’Callaghan’s 27.82 for second. Those two were the only swimmers under 28 seconds in the heats. McKeown owns the world record in this event with a 26.88 from 2023 and could be close to that tonight after dropping nearly three seconds from heats to finals in the 100.

Hannah Fredericks, bronze medallist on the 100 last night, was fifth in 28.70 whilst 2024 World finalist in the 100 Jaclyn Barclay was joint-tenth and will swim off for the final with Bond’s Layla Day, although results for this are not currently available.

Matt Temple was fastest in the 100 fly heats with a 52.30, two seconds off his best and Oceanian Record of 50.25 but comfortably ahead of second place Jesse Coleman‘s 52.72. Coleman was just over a second off his PB of 51.51 from Olympic Trials last year.

Harrison Turner and Alex Quach tied for third in 52.88, but the real story was the man behind them. Thomas Ceccon took fifth here in 53.14, a second off his best time but seemed to prioritise this event today, dropping the 100 backstroke where he is the Olympic Champion and World Record holder.

It is currently unclear why Ceccon dropped the 100 backstroke, but he will also have the opportunity to qualify in the event at the Sette Colli Trophy on 26-28 June. It does seem a strange choice after setting a new Italian record in the 200 back on Day 1, and holding a season-best 52.82 in the 100 from last month.

The 100 backstroke has been rapid so far this year with four swimmers 52.2 or better, but Ceccon would still be the favourite in Singapore. There may be scope for his swim from March being used to qualify him as he is already on the team from the 200 back, but the current Italian Federation regulations appear not to allow that.

Notably, no Italian swimmers are pre-selected for Singapore based on results from the Olympics, as was the case for the British team. That led to a conundrum for selectors in the 200 freestyle at the British Championships last week. With Matt Richards qualified from his silver-medal-winning exploits in Paris there was only one spot available, but stalwarts Duncan Scott and James Guy tied for first in 1:45.08.

No Italian swimmers made the stiff qualification time of 51.29 in the 100 fly at the recent Italian Championships, so Ceccon could be looking to add his name in this event. Federico Burdisso led the way in Riccione, swimming 51.83, as Alberto Razzetti took second in 51.94.

With Ceccon’s best time of 52.15 , he would need to drop time to be the fastest Italian this year let alone hit the required time for Singapore. There is a tough route to an international medal as well, especially with Noe Ponti looking in devastating form so far this season.

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