Swimming world champion Sam Williamson sent an ominous warning during the first session of Australia's Paris 2024 trials on Monday, clocking the fastest time by an Australian breaststroker in more than 10 years.
Williamson clocked 58.95 seconds at Brisbane Aquatic Centre to become the third-fastest Australian breaststroker in history, behind Brenton Rickard (58.58 in 2009) and Christian Sprenger (58.79 in 2013), who both won Olympic silver.
Williamson won the 50m breaststroke world title in Doha in February, but the 50m breaststroke is not an Olympic event.
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The 26-year-old from Melbourne is hoping to earn selection on his first Olympic team this year.
"Sneaking under the minute is a pretty big achievement, so then to sneak under that 59 — there's not a lot of guys around the world who have done that, so to be up in that calibre is really impressive and I'm just really happy with the work I've done," Williamson told media poolside.
"It's been a goal of mine [cracking the 59-second barrier]. It's something I've been thinking about for a while and have been trying to execute.
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"I'm just happy I've done it and fingers crossed I can come back and swim a little bit quicker tonight."
No other swimmer dipped under the minute barrier in the heats on Monday.
Joshua Yong qualified for the final with a time of 1:00.12, while Joshua Collett was the third-fastest qualifier with a time of 1:00.57.
Zac Stubblety-Cook, the reigning Olympic champion in the 200m breaststroke, got away slowly in his heat but charged home to win in 1:00.58.
According to the World Aquatics website, Williamson now ranks as the sixth-fastest 100m breaststroker in the world this year.
He said it felt surreal to have swum a time so close to the personal bests of Rickard and Sprenger.
"Springer and Rickard are both heroes of mine," he said.
"I've idolised those guys from a very young age, so to be nudging their shoulders is pretty special."
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