Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Eyeing her final Commonwealth Games appearance, swim star Kaylee McKeown has labelled her form at Australia’s swim trials as far from her best.
After pulling out of 200m individual medley heats, a still underdone McKeown fought off a spirited challenge from youngster Iona Anderson to win the women’s final in 57.77 seconds at Sydney Olympic Park.
The five-time Olympic gold champion fell short of her personal best of 57.16 seconds and the world record of 57.13 seconds set by US rival Regan Smith.
“That’s the fourth fastest time in the world – I’d like to be faster than that,” McKeown said.
“But we’re our own harshest critics. And at the end of the day, I just need to do it when it counts.”
McKeown had early punched her ticket to Glasgow on the opening night of competition after beating Mollie O’Callaghan in the 50m backstroke sprint.
Freestyle ace O’Callaghan did not compete in the 100m backstroke final, with 20-year-old Anderson pipping McKeown in the heats earlier on Tuesday as the veteran opted to conserve her energy.
“I never really go on with an arrogance or confidence that I’m going to pop a 57 – I think that’s still very rare to be able to do that,” McKeown said.
“I need to give myself the encouragement that that is a good swimmer.
“It’s not my best – but at the end of the day, it’s not this year that counts. It’s LA (2028 Olympics).”
Anderson booked her Glasgow spot after missing out on last year’s world championships with a back injury.
Rising star Sienna Toohey set a personal record to take the women’s 100m breaststroke, touching the wall in one minute and 5.97 seconds to make her first Commonwealth Games squad.
The Albury schoolgirl – who has relocated to Canberra – has enjoyed a rapid rise since earning a spot in Australia’s world championship team at age 16 last year.
Toohey was visibly shocked when she saw her finish time.
“The 1:05 – this time last year I broke 1:07 for the first time,” Toohey said of her reaction.
“I’m just really happy with it.
“Our initial plan was Commonwealth Games for my first senior team, like, to aim for that one, and then when I almost made the (Olympic) team in Paris, everything kind of got fast-tracked.”
Sam Short showed no signs of stopping, setting a personal best of one minute 45.16 seconds to win the men’s 200m freestyle after taking out the 400m final on the first night of competition.
Alexandra Perkins won the women’s 50m butterfly in 25.74 seconds, while 17-year-old Henry Allan went fastest in the 100m backstroke with a time of 53.52 seconds.
In multi-class finals, para swimmers Jasmine Greenwood (women’s 100m butterfly), Declan Budd (men’s 100m butterfly) and Benjamin Hance (men’s 50m backstroke) went fastest.
