ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Ariarne Titmus narrowly missed the world record as she won the women’s 200-meter freestyle on Monday night at the Australian Olympic swimming trials.
Her time of 1 minute, 53.09 seconds was the second-fastest ever for the women’s 200 free and just 0.11 outside the world mark set by Italy’s Federica Pellegrini in 2009, before rubberized swimsuits were banned.
Titmus was backing up a day after her victory in the 400 freestyle in national record time and dealing with shoulder soreness.
“At the start of the week I was a bit worried,” she said. “But I am just managing it as best I can . . . it’s hanging in there, it’s getting the job done.”
Kaylee McKeown followed up her world record in the 100-meter backstroke on Sunday by winning the 200-meter individual medley in 2:08.19.
The 19-year-old McKeown said she got about 4 1/2 hours of sleep after her record-breaking night.
“That is probably the toughest thing I had to overcome this morning, there was a lot of fatigue,” she said. “I just did the best I could recovery-wise. I tried to get to sleep and I couldn’t, the adrenaline was still pumping.
“I went under the qualifying time and a small PB,” she said, “So I can’t ask for much more.”
Mack Horton missed another chance to qualify for an individual event in Tokyo when he placed fifth in the 800-meter freestyle in 8 minutes, 0.72 seconds, well behind Jack McLoughlin’s winning time of 7:42.51.
Horton won’t get a chance to defend his Olympic title in the 400 free after placing third in the Australian trials on the weekend.
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