SWIMMING: Reigning world champion James Magnussen has produced the fastest time in the world this year to defend his national men’s 100m freestyle at the 2013 National Swimming Championships in Adelaide.

The London silver medallist, whose victory gave him a trifecta of national titles in the blue ribband sprinting event, also booked his ticket to Barcelona where he will defend his world championship crown in July.

The 22-year-old hit the lead in the early stages and after turning in 22.80, powered home to stop the clock in a world class time of 47.53, the exact time in which he won silver at the Olympics.

Magnussen finished clear of the impressive 18-year-old Cameron McEvoy (48.07), who swam another personal best to add an individual world championship berth in the 100m to the one he secured earlier in the meet in the 200m free.

Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay team could also boast considerable strength with London Olympians James Roberts (48.37) and Matt Targett (48.58) finishing third and fourth, while Tommaso D’Orsogna (48.86) and Matthew Abood (49.12) rounded out the top six.

“It was good tonight to be under a bit of pressure from the other guys,” Magnussen said. “Targett went out with me, and Cam came home and it was fairly good execution under pressure so I think it gives me a good indication of where I am at.

“I think it’s good to be back here after having some time off after the Olympics. I feel like I probably could have gone quicker at some stage this week, but I just wasn’t feeling 100 percent right tonight.”

After setting the fastest time in the world this year in the heats of the 100m freestyle, Cate Campbell was at it again, swimming a sub 53-second semi to take the top spot ahead of her younger sister Bronte Campbell (53.72).

Cate’s time of 52.83 would have seen her win gold at the London Olympics and puts her second in the Australian all-time top ten, just behind Commonwealth and Australian record holder Libby Trickett’s 52.62 from 2009.

Progressing in third behind the Campbell’s and with a bronze medal to her name from the 200m freestyle last night, Emma McKeon (54.23) will be looking to move up the podium in Wednesday night’s final but will need to hold off a quintet of Olympians in Brittany Elmslie (54.25), Melanie Schlanger (54.32), Alicia Coutts (54.34), Bronte Barratt (54.56) and Emily Seebohm (54.98) who are also in the mix for a medal.

London Olympian Daniel Tranter successfully defended his national title in the men’s 200m Individual Medley and set a new personal best in the process.

The 21-year-old recorded a time of 1:57.55 to also secure a swim on his first world championships team, where he will be joined by 2011 world championship finalist Kenneth To (1:58.72), who lowered his personal best time to finish clear of 20-year-old bronze medallist Justin James (1:59.80).

In other Olympic events…

Women’s 200m Butterfly Final
Queenslander Madeline Groves won her first national title with a superb final 50 metres that saw her touch in 2:09.39. The 17-year-old led home London Olympian Samantha Hamill (2:10.35) and 20-year-old Nicole Mee (2:10.71), but all three swimmers fell just short of meeting the required world championship qualification time.

Women’s 200m Breaststroke Semi Final
Following her impressive win in this event just weeks ago at the Australian Age Championships, Taylor McKeown (2:27.23) once again set the standard in the women’s 200m breaststroke taking the top ranked time from the semi-finals and relegating Olympic finalist in this event, Sally Foster (2:27.94) to second. Sixteen-year-old Jenna Strauch went through in third after hitting the wall in 2:28.79.

Men’s 200m Breaststroke Semi Finals
Junior Pan Pacific Championship representative Lennard Bremer was too strong in the semi-finals of the men’s 200m breaststroke, hitting the wall in 2:13.82 and taking lane four into the final tomorrow night. Bremer could be on his way to his first Australian title if he can replicate tonight’s results and get the better of Jeremy Meyer (2:14.77) and Nicholas Schafer (2:15.90).

Men’s 200m Backstroke Semi Finals
London Olympian Matson Lawson (1:57.29) cruised through the semi-finals of the men’s 200m backstroke, finishing first and over a second clear of Ashley Delaney (1:58.52) and Mitch Larkin (1:59.88) who will progress in second and third respectively. With the qualifying time for the FINA World Championships set at 1:58.00, Lawson is looking in good shape to secure a spot on the team with Delaney and Larkin also lurking around the selection standard. 

Athletes who have qualified for selection for the 2013 FINA World Championships:

MEN
Men’s 100m Freestyle – James Magnussen (47.53), Cameron McEvoy (48.07)
Men’s 200m Freestyle – Thomas Fraser-Holmes (1:45.79), Cameron McEvoy (1:46.03)
Men’s 400m Freestyle – David McKeon (3:43.71), Jordan Harrison (3:45.85)
Men’s 100m Backstroke – Ashley Delaney (53.63)
Men’s 100m Breaststroke – Christian Sprenger (59.31), Brenton Rickard (1:00.00)
Men’s 200m Butterfly – Grant Irvine (1:55.32)
Men’s 200m Individual Medley – Daniel Tranter (1:57.55), Kenneth To (1:58.72)
Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – James Magnussen (47.53), Cameron McEvoy (48.07), James Roberts (48.37), Matt Targett (48.58), Tommaso D’Orsogna (48.86), Matthew Abood (49.12)
Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay - Thomas Fraser-Holmes (1:45.79), Cameron McEvoy (1:46.03), David McKeon (1:46.96), Ned McKendry (1:47.14), Alexander Graham (1:47.23), Jarrod Killey (1:47.25) 

WOMEN
Women’s 200m Freestyle – Bronte Barratt (1:56.05), Kylie Palmer (1:56.66)
Women’s 400m Freestyle – Bronte Barratt (4:03.52), Kylie Palmer (4:06.00)
Women’s 100m Backstroke – Emily Seebohm (59.17), Belinda Hocking (59.63)
Women’s 100m Breaststroke – Sally Foster (1:07.46), Samantha Marshall (1:07.49)
Women’s 100m Butterfly – Alicia Coutts (57.18)
Women’s 200m Individual Medley – Alicia Coutts (2:08.63), Emily Seebohm (2:11.11)
Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay – Bronte Barratt (1:56.05), Kylie Palmer (1:56.66), Emma McKeon (1:56.77), Brittany Elmslie (1:57.15), Melanie Schlanger (1:58.07), Blair Evans (1:58.66)

Swimming Australia