Magnificent Magnussen creates history

NSWIS scholarship holder James Magnussen has been crowned the Institute’s latest world champion, and created history in the process after winning the men’s 100m freestyle at the 2011 FINA Aquatic World Championships in Shanghai.

Magnussen, under the tutelage of NSWIS coach Brant Best, became the first Australian to win a men’s 100m freestyle world title after an outstanding 47.63 second swim last night.

Known for his back-end speed, Magnussen turned in fifth position behind world record holder Cesar Cielo before hitting the afterburners and leaving the field in his wake. Magnussen touched first followed by Canada’s Brent Hayden and Frenchman William Meynard.

Magnussen’s third sub-48 second swim of the meet saw him go on to win his second world championship gold following Australia’s triumph in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. In winning relay gold with fellow NSWIS athletes Eamon Sullivan and Matthew Abood, Magnussen clocked 47.49 seconds to become the fastest 100m freestyle swimmer in history not wearing the now banned ‘super suits’.

The results from Shanghai have been a huge boost for the NSWIS Swimming Program, with three world champions already crowned and the possibility of more. Geoff Huegill and Abood will line up in the men’s 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle, respectively, before Huegill likely takes his place on the men’s 4x100m medley team with Magnussen. NSWIS sprinter Olivia Halicek will compete in the women’s 50m freestyle in the coming days.

Elsewhere in Shanghai yesterday, NSWIS swimmer Kenneth To finished in seventh place in the men’s 200m individual medley, finishing in 1:59.26, while the Australian men’s water polo team finished ninth after an 8-6 victory over Canada.