ID :
173588
Wed, 04/06/2011 - 15:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/173588
The shortlink copeid
Alicia Coutts sizzles in 100m freestyle
SYDNEY, April 6 (AAP) - Alicia Coutts sizzled in the 100m freestyle to claim her third national title before saying she'd relish the prospect of future duels with returning star Libby Trickett.
Coutts became only the sixth Australian woman to break the 54-second barrier as she posted a personal best time of 53.80secs in Sydney on Wednesday to win from Yolane Kukla (54.59) and Bronte Barratt (54.67).
Having proved her five gold medal haul at the Commonwealth Games last year was no fluke with her performance at the trials, Coutts now believes she can go even faster at July's world championships in Shanghai.
And she also welcomed the return of former Olympic champion Trickett, who is aiming to claim a relay berth in Shanghai in a time trial in June and an individual berth at next year's London Olympics.
"Obviously my freestyle time is nowhere near as good as her times before she retired," Coutts said of Trickett, who swam 52.62 in a super suit at the 2009 world championships in Rome.
"Certainly if she can get back to where she was I'd like to have her to chase, a bit of cat and mouse, it'll definitely be good."
Coutts, who also won the 100m butterfly and 200IM titles, said she would be heading into Shanghai full of confidence.
"I definitely feel good knowing that I've done some really good times, done a few PBs and I know I've done a lot of hard work," Coutts said.
"Obviously there'll be a lot more hard work to come but I'm really happy with how I've done and hopefully for Shanghai I can go faster."
Trickett hoped Coutts' performances would work in her favour, saying see thrived on having strong domestic competition.
"For me when I've raced my best we've had the likes of Alice (Mills) and Jodie Henry," Trickett said.
"To have those girls when we were top three in the world, that sort of competition pushed me every day.
"I know it's not going to be easy and I know I'm behind the eight-ball right now but I'm really excited by that and I'm loving that challenge."
Trickett will have to beat a field likely to include Emily Seebohm, Alice Mills and Marieke Guehrer in a one-off race in Adelaide on June 29 and go faster than 54.99, the fifth-fastest time in Wednesday night's final, to secure a relay spot on the worlds team.
But she appeared quietly confident her preparations were on track.
"I don't want to put myself out there too much, but it's definitely within the goals I have set for myself," Trickett said.
Kukla, 15, expressed relief after finishing second to secure her place on the team ahead of her pet event, the 50m freestyle.
"I think it's really nervewracking when your race is at the end of the meet and you see everyone making the team, so it feels a lot better now I've made it," Kukla said.
Geoff Huegill (52.44) led the way into Thursday night's 100m butterfly with another impressive swim, but reigning national champion Andrew Lauterstein was a shock omission from the final after managing only the ninth-quickest time.
Breaststroke ace Brenton Rickard also claimed his third title of the meet, taking out the 200m in 2:11.84 from Craig Calder (2:13.12).
Sally Foster (2:24.65) claimed the women's 200m breaststroke but her time fell outside the qualifying time to make the worlds team.
Ashley Delaney (1:58.50) also missed out in winning the 200m backstroke.
Matt Targett (22.15) qualified fastest for the men's 50m freestyle final, with Eamon Sullivan (22.39) and 100m champion James Magnussen (22.45) also moving through.
Coutts became only the sixth Australian woman to break the 54-second barrier as she posted a personal best time of 53.80secs in Sydney on Wednesday to win from Yolane Kukla (54.59) and Bronte Barratt (54.67).
Having proved her five gold medal haul at the Commonwealth Games last year was no fluke with her performance at the trials, Coutts now believes she can go even faster at July's world championships in Shanghai.
And she also welcomed the return of former Olympic champion Trickett, who is aiming to claim a relay berth in Shanghai in a time trial in June and an individual berth at next year's London Olympics.
"Obviously my freestyle time is nowhere near as good as her times before she retired," Coutts said of Trickett, who swam 52.62 in a super suit at the 2009 world championships in Rome.
"Certainly if she can get back to where she was I'd like to have her to chase, a bit of cat and mouse, it'll definitely be good."
Coutts, who also won the 100m butterfly and 200IM titles, said she would be heading into Shanghai full of confidence.
"I definitely feel good knowing that I've done some really good times, done a few PBs and I know I've done a lot of hard work," Coutts said.
"Obviously there'll be a lot more hard work to come but I'm really happy with how I've done and hopefully for Shanghai I can go faster."
Trickett hoped Coutts' performances would work in her favour, saying see thrived on having strong domestic competition.
"For me when I've raced my best we've had the likes of Alice (Mills) and Jodie Henry," Trickett said.
"To have those girls when we were top three in the world, that sort of competition pushed me every day.
"I know it's not going to be easy and I know I'm behind the eight-ball right now but I'm really excited by that and I'm loving that challenge."
Trickett will have to beat a field likely to include Emily Seebohm, Alice Mills and Marieke Guehrer in a one-off race in Adelaide on June 29 and go faster than 54.99, the fifth-fastest time in Wednesday night's final, to secure a relay spot on the worlds team.
But she appeared quietly confident her preparations were on track.
"I don't want to put myself out there too much, but it's definitely within the goals I have set for myself," Trickett said.
Kukla, 15, expressed relief after finishing second to secure her place on the team ahead of her pet event, the 50m freestyle.
"I think it's really nervewracking when your race is at the end of the meet and you see everyone making the team, so it feels a lot better now I've made it," Kukla said.
Geoff Huegill (52.44) led the way into Thursday night's 100m butterfly with another impressive swim, but reigning national champion Andrew Lauterstein was a shock omission from the final after managing only the ninth-quickest time.
Breaststroke ace Brenton Rickard also claimed his third title of the meet, taking out the 200m in 2:11.84 from Craig Calder (2:13.12).
Sally Foster (2:24.65) claimed the women's 200m breaststroke but her time fell outside the qualifying time to make the worlds team.
Ashley Delaney (1:58.50) also missed out in winning the 200m backstroke.
Matt Targett (22.15) qualified fastest for the men's 50m freestyle final, with Eamon Sullivan (22.39) and 100m champion James Magnussen (22.45) also moving through.
