Cate
Campbell has set a 100m freestyle world record during a last-placed finish in
the final of the 200m at the Australian Short Course Championships in Sydney.
One
day after Mitch Larkin claimed the country's first world record in the
post-supersuit era, Campbell became the second after breaking Libby Trickett's
51.38 with a stunning 50.91 split for 100m.
While
the London Olympian officially finished last in the race, her grand prize was
becoming the first woman to swim the hundred under 51 seconds.
"It
was pretty unique to get a world record and then finish dead last in your race.
Not many people can claim that but I've always been a trailblazer, so I'll take
it," Campbell said.
"It's
very special to be in the 50s and be the first woman to do it. There's
something extra special about breaking that little threshold."
The
eventual winner of the race, Emma McKeon, also had plenty to celebrate after
shattering her own Commonwealth-record 1:51.66 set two years ago.
The
records continued to tumble throughout the final night of the meet, with
Commonwealth-best times also set by Mitch Larkin in the 50m backstroke and
Thomas Fraser-Holmes in the 400m individual medley.
Freestyler
Cameron McEvoy also claimed an Australian record in the 50m freestyle final.
Even
16-year-old Matthew Wilson got an ovation on winning his first national title
in the 200m breaststroke.
But
the night belonged to 23-year-old Campbell, who wasn't told until after
Saturday morning's 200m heats to have another crack at the world record.
"Deep
down in my subconscious, I was secretly hoping to come away with it," she
said.
"But
you can't let those thoughts bobble to the surface because otherwise they can
take you over completely and you overswim the race."
Having
fallen agonisingly short of Trickett's six-year time when she clocked a 51.38
in her 100m title win on Thursday night, Cusack's strategy worked a treat.
"I'm
just fresher. I've had three days of racing, which is a hell of a lot easier
than training," she said.
"In
an ideal world, the 100m would've been on the last day but it wasn't. It was on
the first day. So this was a good compromise."
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