Australian Trials, Night 2 Finals: Ed Sommerville 1:44.73 200 Free Rockets Boy From Brisbane to Fourth In World
Ed Sommerville, a swimmer who was last week named the Brisbane Swimming Rising Star, has tonight sunk five Olympians to book his place on the plane to his first Long Course World Championships in Singapore in the 200m freestyle.
The 20-year-old from Brisbane Grammar, coached by Bobby Jovanovich, rocketed up the world rankings with a huge personal best time of 1:44.73 – with only US Trials winner Luke Hobson 1:43.73, Lukas Martens (Germany) 1:44.25 and Gabriel Jett (USA) 1:44.70, swimming faster than Sommerville this year.
Becoming the fourth fastest Australian of all-time behind Ian Thorpe (1:44.06), Max Guiliani (144.79) and Clyde Lewis (1:44.90) – 2024 Paris finalist Guiliani finishing fifth in tonight’s final in 1:46.17.
BREAKOUT: Ed Sommerville sank five Olympians to win the 200m freestyle. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
Sommerville showed in the morning preliminaries that he meant business, clocking 1:46.02 – to win his heat – clocking the second fastest time of the day behind two-time Olympian Zac Incerti who along with Harrison Turner withdrew from the final to concentrate on other events – Harrison finishing fourth in the 100m butterfly final.
And he brought his A game into the A final – out in 24.24, splitting 50.29 at the 100m mark and turning at the 150m in 1:17.83 – clocking 27.72 for the final 50m and well and truly under the qualifying time of 1:46.70.
Sommerville coming into the meet on 1:47.54, improving to 1:46.02 in the heat, revealing it was his first long course 200m in two years.
Paris Olympian and 2023 World 400m champion, Sam Short (Rackley, QLD), finished second in 1:45.71 after his world class 400m win last night with Flynn Southam (Bond, QLD) third in 1:45.85.
Southam may well earn himself an individual swim in Singapore alongside Sommerville with Short to relinquish his spot to concentrate on the longer events.
Charlie Hawke (Hunter, NSW) finished fourth in 1:46.10; Giuliani (TSS Aquatic, QLD) fifth and Paris Olympian Kai Taylor (St Peters Western, QLD) sixth in 1:46.17 – after finishing ninth in the heats – earning a final spot when Incerti withdrew, the top six all under the QT.
Taylor very much in the mix now for the 4x200m freestyle – and a case of déjà vu from 2023 when he actually went on to win the 200m at the World Trials after Kyle Chalmers withdrew from the final after Kai, the son of Australian swimming great Hayley Lewis had again finished ninth.
While the University of Alabama-based Hawke has come off another hugely successful NCAA Championships where he again finished fourth in the 200 yards freestyle final behind Hobson, Chris Guiliano and Jett – and ahead of US Trials 50 and 100m winner Jack Alexy and Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands).
Just last week, Somerville was honoured with the Rising Star Award for by Swimming Brisbane for his selection on the Australian World Short Course Team after his Australian record-breaking swim in the 200m freestyle at the Australia Short Course Championships after recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
And the secret behind his success?
CHARLIE HAWKE EYES….Singapore World Championships. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr Swimming Australia
“It’s a combination of everyone in my support crew and their hard work. My parents, siblings, coach, physiotherapists and I’m glad to show what I can do,” said Sommerville.
“It was unknown what I could do, I haven’t done a long course 200m freestyle in two years. Doing short course last year was a good benchmark but nothing beats long course racing.
“(Leading into Singapore) I’m going to put my finger down, crack down, work my technique and try and improve.”
Short really surprised himself with his swim in the morning so decided he wanted to give it a crack in the final.
“I had a weak pb (1:47.18) coming into this meet and I actually just smoked my pb (1:46.33 and1:45.71) ,” said Short.
“Ed may not have thought he was going to go 144, but I definitely thought so, hence why I moved straight over to the lane rope as soon as I could, but his kick was starting to beat me up in the last 50m, but I have him to thank for that personal best tonight.
“I won’t race this event individually at Worlds, but I’ve worked so hard on my speed to support my 400m and I’m so excited to test it in Singapore.”
While in the men’s 100m butterfly it was a double whammy for Matt Temple (Marion, SA) and Jesse Coleman (Bond, QLD) with dual Olympian Temple easing his way back into competition but still claiming an automatic QT of 51.00 ahead of Coleman who will join Australia’s number one flyer on the World’s team with his personal best of 51.06 to qualify for his first Dolphins team. Coleman’s Bond teammate, Paris 50 freestyler Ben Armbruster was third in 51.45, also a personal best and under th QT.
Temple saying: “I think it’s pretty special to train in this pool, I love racing here. I think it’s one of the best pools in the country, could be the world. To do it in front of my friends, family and swimming fans in the stand as well as feel the support from everyone back home, it makes me feel so happy with that race.
Matt Temple after winning 100 fly at world trials Photo Courtesy Delly Carr Swimming Australia.
“At the start of this year I was training a bit different, trying to enjoy my swimming more. I’ve been pretty light with training and built into it. I would’ve liked to have swm 50 point tonight, it wasn’t far off so I got the ob done and can build into Singapore.”
While Coleman was stoked to be on his first team.
This is pretty special, I’m stoked with that swim. It’s been a while coming; I’ve been working at it and have been so close for a few years now. To finally get that done, get the time and finish in the top two, it’s pretty special. Good to be next to Matt heading away too.”
In other events:
Backstroking’s best buddies, Olympic champions, Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans, QLD) and Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western. QLD) picked up from where they left off on night one adding the 100m backstroke quinella to their 50m 1-2 from night one. McKeown clocked 57.71 and O’Callaghan 58.85 with Hannah Fredericks (St Peters Western, QLD) third in 1:00.40, both girls under the QT for Singapore.
McKeown saying: “There’s a lot of work that still needs to go in but that’s where I’m at at the moment, the one thing I was happy with in my race was my underwater.”
The men’s 100m backstroke saw Josh Edwards-Smith (Griffith, QLD) take the win in 54.28 from Olympian Bradley Woodward (Mingara, NSW) 54.62 and Enoch Robb (Griffith, QLD) 54.70 – all boys outside the automatic QT.
Edwards-Smith saying: “I was really happy with that, it was my first pb in a number of years. It’s good to be back after being on the team in 2022 and World Short Course last year. I’m really driven, I definitely have more fire in the belly after narrowly missing Olympics last year.
“I’m really enjoying my new coach Mel Marshall, it’s been a nice change of stimulus. We’ve been working on a few different things. Mel’s very technical, she’s very modern, it’s been fun training with a whole new group.”
