Australian Freestylers Go Head-to-Head

The Australian National Swim Championships promised a major dual-in-the-pool as Cameron McEvoy and Kyle Chalmers met in a highly-anticipated 100m freestyle final. McEvoy is the defending champion, winning the event in the last three national championships. Chalmers won the 100m freestyle gold medal at the Rio Olympics.

So who would win this bout?

Cameron McEvoy won the final to make it four straight championships for him. He also swam sub-48 seconds, registering a time of 47.91. Chalmers time wasn’t sub-48 but did beat the qualifying time for July’s World Championships in Budapest.

Read more about this exciting race here.

Marseille Grand Prix Shows Some Swift Swims

The Marseille Grand Prix delivered some excitement and fast mid-season swims. Fran Halsall completed a double gold, winning the 100 free and 59 fly…

Britain’s Fran Halsall scorched the women’s 100-meter fly finale tonight with a swift 58.37. That time is just a second off her lifetime best of 57.40 from the 2010 European Championships, and demonstrates that the two-time Olympian is still making strides within the sport. Halsall could be dangerous by the time 2016 Rio Games come around. Spain’s Judit Ignacio Sorribes placed second in 1:00.40, while day one wonder Mireia Belmonte Garcia took third in 1:01.00.

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Nathan Adrian won the100 free, with the silver going to Anthony Ervin.

Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian charted a scintillating 48.11 to win the men’s 100-meter free. That’s about a half-a-second off his 10th-ranked best time ever of 47.52 from the 2012 London Olympics. Compatriot Anthony Ervin, meanwhile, placed second in 49.08. His best time ever is a 48.33 from the 2001 World Championships. Those top times aren’t bad considering the in-season nature of this event. France’s Gregory Mallet placed third in 49.31.

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Dawn Fraser Suggests Tough Punishment for Aussie Men

Dawn FraserDawn Fraser, the first woman to break a minute for 100 freestyle, is proposing a lifetime ban for the members of Australia’s 400 Freestyle relay after they admitted to taking pills before the London Olympics. The pills, Stilnox, is a sleeping pill that is not on the banned substance list.

Fraser, who spoke to reporters after receiving the honor of Australia’s greatest female sportswoman last night in a ceremony, said the lifetime ban would set a precedent for future punishments for all athletes who use prohibited substances.

“Those people who take drugs in sport should be banned forever, not to ever be allowed to come back into sport … especially in this example,” Fraser said.

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Lochte and Franklin Return to the Pool Ahead of World Championships

Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin are scheduled to compete for the first time since the London Olympics. They will compete at the University of Minnesota pool in the Grand Prix circuit.

USA Swimming announced today that Olympic champions Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin will be the headliners of a star-studded list of competitors next month at the first stop on the Grand Prix circuit at the University of Minnesota.

The meet, to be held November 9-11 in Minneapolis, will mark the first competition for Lochte and Franklin since the London Olympics. Franklin previously announced her intentions to swim in Minnesota during an interview on The Morning Swim Show.

Most of the top competitors at the meet will be using the Grand Prix as a tune-up for the short course world championships, which will be held one month later in Istanbul, Turkey. Some of those competing at worlds that are scheduled to appear in Minneapolis include 2008 Olympic gold medalist Garrett Weber-Gale, 2012 relay gold medalists Claire Donahue and Jimmy Feigen, and 2012 200 breast Olympic finalist Scott Weltz.

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