To, Magnussen lead world championship charge

After a successful start on Thursday with two gold and two silver medals, NSWIS swimmers continued to impress at the 2011 Australian Short Course Championships in Adelaide, the final hit out before the Shanghai world championships.

James Magnussen and Kenneth To were the big winners over the weekend, taking four gold, two silver and one bronze medal in the final hit out before the Australian team makes their way to China.

To won gold medals in the men’s 100m and 200m individual medleys, silver in the men’s 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle, and bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle, which was won by fellow NSWIS athlete Magnussen. Magnussen then backed up to win his second gold of the championships in the men’s 200m freestyle. Both NSWIS athletes will be making their long course world championship debuts in Shanghai.

On Friday night Robert Hurley bagged gold in the men’s 400m freestyle ahead of fellow NSWIS athletes David McKeon and Jarrod Killey; Lachlan Staples won bronze in the men’s 200m butterfly, and Daniel Arnamnart and Mitchell Dixon took silver and bronze, respectively, in the men’s 50m backstroke.

Matthew Levy was strong in taking silver in the men’s 100m freestyle multi-class and Jacqueline Freney secured bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle multi-class.

Geoff Huegill fired up on Saturday night to win the men’s 50m butterfly, with fellow NSWIS athlete Mitchell Patterson touching in third, while Jessica Ashwood, Olivia Halicek and Teigan Van Roosmalen all won silver medals; Ashwood in the women’s 400m freestyle, Halicek in the women’s 50m freestyle and Van Roosmalen in the women’s 100m butterfly multi-class.

The final night of action saw more medals; Patterson and Huegill finished with silver and bronze, respectively, in the men’s 100m butterfly, Halicek took bronze in the women’s 50m breaststroke, Jarrod Poort won men’s 1500m freestyle silver and Matthew Abood secured bronze in the men’s 50m freestyle.

Eight NSWIS athletes competing at the short course championships will be competing at the 2011 FINA Aquatic World Championships in Shanghai, China from 16-31 July. They are; To, Magnussen, Killey, Huegill, Ashwood, Halicek, Abood and Eamon Sullivan.