The Australian Short Course (25m) Nationals continued Saturday at the South Australia Aquatic Centre in Marion, Adelaide.

There was no Cate Campbell to light up the pool Saturday, but that didn’t stop the records from falling in a night of tight finishes to complete the Australian Championships.

Day Three Full Recap

LIVE RESULTS 

Seventeen-year-old Minna Atherton broke through for her first national title and open age record after defeating decorated training partner Emily Seebohm in the 50m backstroke timed final.

Atherton’s 26.23 broke the all-comers record for fastest time swam on Australian soil. Veteran Holly Barratt contributed to a tight three-way finish. 

Women’s 50m Back

1. 26.23 – Minna Atherton (ACR)
2. 26.43 – Holly Barratt
3. 26.48 – Emily Seebohm

Distance newcomer Joshua Parrish got a stunning win over his more fancied rivals in the 1500m to close out his impressive meet. Parrish, who trains alongside national teamers David Morgan and Kiah Melverton at the impressive TSS Aquatic on the Gold Coast under Chris Nesbit, got his first gold of the championships after minor medals in the 200-400-800m freestyle events. 

In a sprint finish, Parrish got the win over open water world champion Jordan Wilimovsky of  the United States, with Olympic 400m champion Mack Horton, who flew in just for today’s race, finishing fourth.

Men’s 1500m Free

1. 14:45.29 – Joshua Parrish
2. 14:45.67 – Jordan Wilimovsky (V)
3. 14:53.18 – Jack McLoughlin
4. 14:58.26 – Mack Horton

TSS short course star Morgan, claimed a double win Saturday in the sprint events. Using his superior underwater skills, Morgan dominated his pet 100m fly event in 50.55, then quickly backed up to take out the splash and dash 50m free in a very respectable 21.46. Not bad for a 1:55 long course 200m flyer.

Men’s 100m Fly

1. 50.55 – David Morgan
2. 51.59 – Nicholas Brown
3. 51.62 – Edward Marks

Men’s 50m Free

1. 21.46 – David Morgan
2. 21.67 – Andrew Abood
3. 22.07 – Louis Townsend

Japan’s Daiya Seto also claimed wins in a few off events for him. After taking the 100m IM in 52.81, Seto posted a 2:04.57 to beat the 200m breaststroke specialists of Australia, including Brisbane youngsters Zac Stubbetly-Cook and Liam Hunter.

Men’s 100m IM

1. 52.81 – Daiya Seto (V)
2. 54.20 – Kazimir Boskovic
3. 54.65 – James Traiforos

Men’s 200m Breast

1. 2:04.57 – Daiya Seto (V)
2. 2:05.69 – Zac Stubblety-Cook
3. 2:07.52 – Liam Hunter

In the men's 100m backstroke, Bobby Hurley picked up his second gold of the meet in 51.76, just ahead of Josh Beaver in 52.27 and Peter Mills in 52.47. Hurley, 29, made his official comeback to swimming at this meet after nearly a year removed from retirement.

Men’s 100m Back

1. 51.76 – Bobby Hurley
2. 52.27 – Joshua Beaver
3. 52.47 – Peter Mills

In women’s action, Emma McKeon got the win in the 200m fly, an event she is starting to race more at this level. 

Jessica Ashwood went back to her roots, winning the 1500m in a respectable 15:52, after returning to training after bypassing Budapest, Hungary, this year. Look for her to increase her focus on this new Olympic event in the lead up to 2020. 

Madison Wilson reversed Friday night’s 400m decision, with a win over Mikkayla Sheridan, all but confirming her switch as a specialist backstroker to freestyler.

Women’s 200m Fly

1. 2:04.35 – Emma McKeon
2. 2:06.52 – Brianna Throssell
3. 2:08.14 – Laura Taylor

Women’s 1500m Free

1. 15:52.29 – Jessica Ashwood
2. 16:02.34 – Madeleine Gough
3. 16:18.92 – Kiah Melverton

Women’s 200m Free

1. 1:54.69 – Madison Wilson
2. 1:55.36 – Mikkayla Sheridan
3. 1:55.70 – Carla Buchanan

Seebohm claimed her fifth gold of the championships, with a tight win over Kaylee McKeown. The 16-year-old McKeown has matured well over the last 12 months and looks set for a breakout 2018 with very threatening results over a number of events this year, most notably the 200m back and IM races. Adelaide-trained Travis Mahoney claimed his third gold in his home pool, this time over 400m IM.

Women’s 200m IM

1. 2:07.90 – Emily Seebohm
2. 2:08.12 – Kaylee McKeown
3. 2:08.65 – Blair Evans

Men’s 400m IM

1. 4:07.15 – Travis Mahoney
2. 4:07.73 – Tomas Elliott
3. 4:09.57 – Kazimir Boskovic

The Australian national team will now wrap up the season, with its Annual Swimmer of the Year Awards being held Sunday night in Adelaide. The focus will then switch to the domestic season, with the annual State Championship meets — QLD (December), VIC (January), NSW (January) — being held in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games Trials, which start Feb. 28.