GOLD FINALE FOR DOLPHINS IN DOHA

Australia’s swimmers completed the World Swimming Championships in Doha by doubling down on gold.

Twenty-year-old backstroker Isaac Cooper was crowned 50m backstroke world champion while the women’s 4x100m medley relay team surged home to help Australia finish with an overall medal haul of 16.

The Dolphins amassed a collection of 3 gold, 9 silver and 4 bronze, and the night of double gold saw Australia leap into third position on the table behind USA and China.

Cooper’s win was all the more impressive given he was up against the lane ropes, hitting them with his fingers. He later explained the roof of Aspire Dome had disorientated him so he was using the lane ropes as a guide to swim straight.

Not that the lane-rope steer stopped him from clocking a national record in his semi-final – 24.12 – and then a 24.13 to win gold which was Australia’s 100^th pool gold medal at World Championships after Steve Holland won the first in 1973, in the 1500m.

USA’s Hunter Armstrong claimed silver (24.33) and Poland’s Ksawery Masiuk the bronze (24.44).

“I told my coach I would love a go at going under 24 tonight but I whacked my finger a couple of times … the roof is curved … so it was a bit of a mind game to swim straight,” Cooper said.

“I am really proud of that swim … I have no idea what I am capable of but I think it’s up to the individual to test it.

“This event isn’t on the Olympic program so my goal is to now focus on 100 back – and the 50m free. And now I know my front-end speed is there, I have to hold my speed and learn how to turn around and come back. But my focus is the 50m free.

“I would love to one day become the fastest man in the world. Whether it happens this year or in 10 years. But I also know my country needs me for the backstroke, in the relays, so I’m training for that as well.”

In the final event of the meet, a fast-finishing Shayna Jack, made sure the Dolphins 4x100m medley relay – Iona Anderson, Abbey Harkin, Brianna Throssell and Jack – stormed home to touch in 3:55.98 ahead of Sweden (3:56.35) and Canada (3:56.43).

The gold delivered Jack and Throssell their sixth respective medals of the eight-day campaign, and Harkin her fifth.

In all, the Dolphins leave Doha not just with medals but with two world champions, two national records, 10 individual personal bests, the emergence of two rookies on the international stage and the return to form of Elijah Winnington (silver in both 400m free and 800m free).

In all, the Dolphins team of 15 had a combined 34 individual swims for 27 finals and Cooper’s world title and the 4x100m medley relay gold, capped off what head coach Rohan Taylor called a worthy and successful campaign.

Taylor said: “The main purpose of this campaign was to prepare for Paris and to work our way through the format of heat-semi-finals, and there’s a lot of great takeaways.”

“The progression of our young backstrokers Iona Anderson and Jaclyn Barclay, Shayna (Jack) getting some more racing under her belt, the return to form of Elijah (Winnington), Sam and Isaac coming home as world champions, and we all know that Cam McEvoy is going to go away and process the data.

“China and the US once again showed us the depth and quality they have. Now we return home and get back into our domestic competition, and apply our learning for Paris, we’ll then come together again for a relay camp in April.”

Doha Worlds Honour Roll:
Gold
Men’s 50m Breaststroke – Sam Williamson
Men’s 50m Backstroke – Isaac Cooper
Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay – Iona Anderson, Abbey Harkin, Brianna Throssell, Shayna Jack (Heat swimmers: Jaclyn Barclay, Alex Perkins)

 Silver
Women’s 50m Backstroke – Iona Anderson
Women’s 100m Backstroke – Iona Anderson
Women’s 200m Backstroke – Jaclyn Barclay
Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – Brianna Throssell, Alex Perkins, Abbey Harkin, Shayna Jack (Heat: Jaclyn Barclay)

Men’s 50m Freestyle – Cam McEvoy
Men’s 400m Freestyle – Elijah Winnington
Men’s 800m Freestyle – Elijah Winnington
Mixed 100m Freestyle Relay – Kai Taylor, Jack Cartwright, Shayna Jack and Brianna Throssell (Heat: Alex Perkins and Abbey Harkin)
Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay – Brad Woodward, Sam Williamson, Shayna Jack, Abbey Harkin (Heat: Alex Perkins)

Bronze
Women’s 100m Freestyle: Shayna Jack
Women’s 200m Freestyle: Brianna Throssell
Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay: Brianna Throssell, Shayna Jack, Abbey Harkin, Kiah Melverton (Heat: Jaclyn Barclay)
Men’s 50m Butterfly: Cam McEvoy

National and Oceania Records:
Sam Williamson 50m breaststroke (26.32)
Isaac Cooper 50m backstroke (24.12)