Stage Set for Saturday Splash and Dash

The Saturday Speed Finals are coming up tonight at the FINA Melbourne 2022 Swimming World Championships (25m).

The Australian Dolphins will be looking to continue their strong record in the relay events when they dive into the Men’s & Women’s 4x50m Medley relays.

The Women’s 4x50m Medley Relay has seen Australia qualify fastest, with defending World Champions Sweden in lane five.  Both Sweden and USA hold the joint world record in a time of 1:42.38 and will be one’s to watch come finals.

In the Men’s 4x50m Medley Relay, Italy will be among the favourites having broken the World Record at the 2021 European Championships.  USA, Australia and France will all be among the top teams to watch.

Australia’s golden freestylers Emma Mckeon, Meg Harris and Kyle Chalmers will then represent the green and gold in the 50m Freestyle finals.

Also coming up tonight are the finals of the 400m Individual Medleys, with Australia’s David Schlict lining up in lane 2 of the Men’s race.

After producing a PB in the 200m breaststroke earlier in the week, Schlict touched third in his IM heat to be seeded fifth overall.

“I’m really happy to have just made it through to the final, that was my goal going into the race,” Schlict said.

“I’ve been working on my breaststroke in particular a lot this season after trials, so it’s good to see it all coming together.”

The Melbourne local from MCL Aquatic Club said it’s been exciting to produce career-best swims in front of a home crowd.

“It’s been great to look up into the stands and see kids from my club team, my family and my friends all up there, it’s really cool.”

In the morning session, Emilie Muir made her Australian Dolphins international debut in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley, having sat in the stands and cheered on her teammates for four days.

Muir said she was stoked to finally get her chance to represent the green and gold.

“I am just so pumped, it’s such a cool experience,” she said.

“It’s been so inspiring watching the team this week, the Aussies have done so well, and it’s been hard to sit in the stands and watch them, just knowing I have had to wait until it was my turn.

“I went in with no expectations because putting expectations just adds pressure, so I just really wanted to enjoy it,” she said.

After moving from South Australia to the Gold Coast two years ago to pursue her swimming career while she studied, Muir said the day she found out she was receiving the gold cap was an unforgettable moment.

“I remember I was actually in a uni class and I got the email and was like ‘oh my gosh, I just have to leave for a moment’ and then I called my parents and sister, it was very cool.”

Also in action tonight are Dolphins Alex Grant and Mack Horton in the Men’s 800m times final.

Alex Perkins and Matt Temple will compete in the 100m butterfly semifinals, while Chelsea Hodges, Sam Williamson and Grayson Bell are in the 50 breaststroke semifinals.