Titmus Claims Freestyle Treble At Australia Games Trials

Rising teenage star Ariarne Titmus became the first Australian woman in 14 years to complete the 200m/400m/800m freestyle treble at the national titles on Friday.

Gold Coast, Australia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 02nd Mar, 2018 ) :Rising teenage star Ariarne Titmus became the first Australian woman in 14 years to complete the 200m/400m/800m freestyle treble at the national titles on Friday.

Titmus, 17, won the 800-metres freestyle in a personal best time of eight minutes 20.08 seconds, just outside the Australian record, to continue her dazzling form at the national selection trials for next month's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

She conquered a marathon meet programme to become just the sixth woman in Australian title history and first since Linda McKenzie in 2004 to win the distance treble. "It's bittersweet. I thought I'd be able to go under the 8:20 mark tonight," said Titmus.

Titmus said she still wants more and hopes that can come at the Commonwealth Games. "I've got something to work on in each race," she said. "It's better being that way than going into the Games thinking: 'How am I going to get faster'.

" Former world champion Mitch Larkin clinched the backstroke double with victory in the 200m in 1:56.60 and backed up with second in the 200m individual medley final.

Larkin, the defending Commonwealth Games champion in the 200m event from Glasgow, had already secured Games selection by claiming 100m backstroke gold on Wednesday. After clinching the 200m backstroke win, he backed up with close to a personal best time (1:59.01) to be second in the medley medal race 0.65sec behind Clyde Lewis.

"I am happy to get the double tonight and hopefully go better at the Games," Larkin said. Former world champion Emily Seebohm had to settle for 200m backstroke silver when she was pipped for gold by 0.01sec by training partner Kaylee McKeown (2:08.23). "I got beaten by someone better tonight," Seebohm said.