Fullerton’s fantastic four on night one

Swimming Australia
Published: Sep 13, 2012 11:42:34 AM Updated: Oct 17, 2012 12:11:39 PM

Australian record-holder Ellen Fullerton has won her fourth national 400m IM short course title in five years on the first night of the 2012 EnergyAustralia Short Course Swimming Championships in Perth.

Fullerton, a dual medallist in the event during the World Cup Short Course Series last year, led from start to finish, winning in a time of 4:34.48. The 19-year-old, set the Australian record to win her 2009 title, with her fourth placing in 2010 the only year she has not won the event since 2008.

The battle for tonight’s minor placings proved a torrid tussle between Jackie Staples, Tianni Gilmore and Aisling Scott, with the trio swapping positions throughout the race. However, it was Gilmour (4:39.78) who claimed the silver medal with Staples touching just 0.12 seconds ahead of the third-placed Scott (4:39.90).

World Championship representative Jarrod Killey proved too strong in the men’s 200m freestyle final, chasing down London Olympian Tommaso D’Orsogna to claim the Australian title and secure a spot on the World Short Course Championship team.

D’Orsogna set the pace early and led the field to the 150-metre mark before Killey (1:42.20) and silver medallist Bobby Hurley (1:43.49) chased down the West Australian, who finishing in a time of 1:43.87.

Queensland’s Amy Smith claimed the women’s 200m butterfly title by overcoming popular Perth local Brianna Throssell.

Despite qualifying second fastest for the final in a time of 2:09.81 – 0.73 seconds behind Throssell, Smith stole the lead from the four-time Junior Pan Pac silver medallist at the 75-metre mark and could not be headed.

Twenty-two-year-old Smith touched in a time of 2:07.42, comfortably ahead of Throssell (2:09.21) with Madeline Groves third in a time of 2:09.91.

In other results…

Women’s 50m Breaststroke

World Championship silver medallist Sarah Katsoulis has qualified fastest for the final of the women’s 50m breaststroke.

Katsoulis touched in a time of 30.56, just over second outside her Commonwealth record time of 29.50, to finish ahead of World Cup Short Course silver medallist Olivia Halicek (31.23) and World Championship gold medallist Sally Foster (31.28) in their semi-final.

Lorna Tonks (31.21), who set a meet record at this year’s Oceanic Championships, took out the first semi-final and will begin tomorrow night’s final in lane five.

Women’s 100m backstroke

Junior World Championship gold medallist Grace Loh has cruised to pole position for tomorrow night’s final in the 100m backstroke.

Loh (57.88) led from the beginning and finished three body-lengths clear of Hayley White (1:00.23), who qualified sixth fastest for the final.

Reigning national champion Rachel Goh (58.90) recorded the second fastest time, leading home her semi-final which also saw Hayley Baker (59.34) and Holly Barratt (59.53) qualify in less than a minute.

Men’s 100m backstroke

Beijing Olympian Ashley Delaney is on track to reclaim his national 100m backstroke title after finishing in a stellar time of 51.61.

The 2010 title holder has progressed to tomorrow’s final ahead of tonight’s 200m freestyle bronze medallist Bobby Hurley (51.72) and Junior World Championship gold medallist Benjamin Treffers in 52.41.

Men’s 100m breaststroke

Olympic silver medallist Christian Sprenger has progressed as the fastest qualifier for the 100m breaststroke final after stopping the clock in 59.99.

Sprenger, the current Australian record-holder over the distance, finished ahead of Victorian Jeremy Meyer (1:00.05), who will be looking to improve on his bronze medal winning swim from the Olympic trials. Queensland’s Nikolas Pregelj (1:00.52) qualified third fastest.

Men’s 100m butterfly

Dual World Cup Short Course gold medallist Kenneth To (51.27) is on the way to confirming his butterfly supremacy, claiming Lane Four for the final.

Australian Championships bronze medallist Grant Irvine touched second in 52.11, while Olympian Christopher Wright, Joseph Carty and Phil Butcher all hit the wall in a time of 52.37 for a triple dead heat for third.

Men’s 50m breaststroke MC

2008 Paralympian Jeremy Tidy (33.64) secured the gold medal in the men’s 50m breaststroke ahead of seven-time medallist at the recent Victoria Championships Timothy Disken (33.65).

Jesse Aungles cruised comfortably into third position stopping the clock at 40.47.

Women’s 50m breaststroke MC

Madeleine Scott has won the 50m breaststroke multi-class in a time of 38.57.

Scott, who was a bronze medallist at this year’s National Swimming Championships, claimed the gold medal ahead of Teneale Houghton (39.91) with Dianne Saunders claiming the bronze in 47.65