Sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell are set to make history as the first siblings to swim together on an Australian Olympic team in 40 years, following last week’s 50m freestyle final at trials.
Having already secured her place on the team for the 100m freestyle, Cate won the deciding race in Adelaide with a time of 24.44 seconds, while her younger sister Bronte finished in second place at 24.61 seconds, thereby clinching the second individual spot.
At ages 19 and 17, Cate and Bronte will be the first siblings to compete for Australia at the Olympics since sisters Karen and Narelle Moras and brothers Neil and Greg Rogers in Munich 1972.
In the race, Yolane Kukla came in third with a time of 24.75 seconds, just ahead of Libby Trickett at 24.77 seconds.
Trickett had secured her desired position on the squad as a relay swimmer after finishing fifth in the 100m freestyle final on Tuesday night.
In another development, Australia might not have a competitor in the 1500m freestyle for London, as the new national title holder Jarrod Poort awaits anxiously to see if he will carry on his country’s rich Olympic legacy in this event.
The 17-year-old clocked a time of 15 minutes 13.38 seconds, just edging out 15-year-old Mack Horton, who timed 15.14.73, in the final at the trials in Adelaide on Thursday night; however, Poort missed the Olympic A qualifying time by a second-and-a-half, which is needed for automatic selection.
Poort will have to wait until June 26 to learn if his B qualifying time will grant him a slot for his first Olympics when the International Olympic Committee allocates additional places.
This situation could leave Australia without representation in an event historically dominated by Grant Hackett and Kieren Perkins.
“It was a tough race. Mack and I are good mates, and we really pushed each other… It would have been great if we both achieved the A time, but I’m thrilled with my performance and it was a significant personal best,” Poort said, who trains in Wollongong with coach Ron McKeon and his son David.
“I’m hopeful for selection… and we’ll see what the outcome is.
“Gaining selection would be enormous; all the hard work over the past few years would make it a dream come true.”
George O’Brien finished third with a time of 15:18.52, while pre-race favorites Wally Eggleton (15:34.17), Rob Hurley (15:30.49), and Matthew Levings (15:45.81) did not make an impact in the race.
by Buford Balony
