Australian Trials, Day 1 Finals: Rising Star Alex Perkins Sizzles To Second In The World with her 56.42 In The 100m Butterfly
One of Australian swimming’s rising stars, Alex Perkins, has swum her way onto this year’s World Championship Swim Team for Singapore, clocking the second fastest time in the world this year – a time only bettered by world record holder Gretchen Walsh (54.62).
The 24-year-old Paris Olympian from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast clocked 56.42 – following her 56.78 in this morning’s heats – to move from 11th to second in two swims in one day.
Second placed Lily Price (Rackley Swim Team, QLD) also booked her place on her first World Championship Team with her time of 57.82 with Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar, NSW) 58.26 third.
Perkins, who is now coached by Michael Sage at USC Spartans, said “her 56 “was a long time coming.
“I’ve worked really hard since the Olympics, just to fine tune all of those little things. So, I couldn’t be happier with that,” said Perkins.
“It’s been a really good change since the Olympics, it’s always tough with a new coach, but you have to trust the process. I think we work really well together and I’m able to communicate with him.”
Price said qualifying was such a relief.
“I wanted to go a bit quicker than that but it’s such a relief that I’m on the team, back to training and hopefully go faster,” said Price, who was asked by four-time Olympic great Cate Campbell on pool deck about her nerves when coming out behind the blocks.
“Honestly (my nerves) were not as bad as I thought they would be, I was very, very nervous last year at the Olympic trials, I’ve been trying to work really hard on that. I knew I could do the time I just had to put it together tonight”
SINGAPORE BOUND: Ella Ramsay has booked her place own the World Championship team in the 200IM. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Wade’s Photos).
The women’s 200m individual medley also saw two qualifiers with Paris Olympian Ella Ramsay (Griffith University, QLD) who was forced out of the Olympic final with Covid, produced a personal best time of 2:09.21 to secure her berth in the team, as did second placed Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) with her 2:10.42 – coming back into the sport after takin g 12 months off.
Nunawading’s Isabella Boyd finished in third in 2:11.72 – also under the QT of 2:11.96.
Ramsay reflected on her journey and coming g back from the disappointment of withdrawing from her first Olympic final.
“I’m excited to do the 200m IM at a world class event this year, it’s hard getting your Olympics taken away from you. But it was something that’s out of your control, so to be up here racing again this year is so good”,” said Ramsay.
“Definitely, the year after the Olympics is always tough to come back, I think that’s a small pb from last year so I can’t be mad.
“I was going into the Olympic final thinking I’ve trained the hardest I’ve ever trained, I was ill at the start of the meet so to get through when I had covid was a big thing.”
Cate Campbell telling second-placed Tara Kinder she’s “A big thing” after walking away from the sport in 2021, she had just qualified for her first long course world championship team.
“Debuting at the World Short Course last year was huge for me coming back to sport, but I’ve always had my sights set on that long cause team.
“I’ve missed two Olympic teams now so just trying to look at this is a stepping stone towards LA Olympic Games, it’s pretty coo.l”
When asked what this means after that heartbreak of walking away from the sport of swimming to be standing here tonight as a member of the World Championship team.
“It means a lot, obviously I’ve dealt with pretty low lows and some good highs in the sport over the years. It just means a lot to me and my family and my dad, he’ll be watching it on TV, he’s been my biggest supporter through all of this, so it means a lot to do this for me and him,” said Tara.
And while there was no automatic qualifiers in the men’s 100m breaststroke it was Nash Wilkes (Griffith, QLD) who has produced a breakthrough performance under new coach, former British coach Mel Marshall – clocking a personal best time of 1:00.19 – the 11th fastest time by an Australian. And followed by another rising star in Bailey Lello (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:00.47, with Josh Collett (Bond, QLD) just a fingernail behind in 1:00;.48.
After swimming two personal bests in the one-day Nash Wilkes was quick to heap praise on his coach and his family.
“I’m training………..full credit to my coach Mel Marshall and everyone at Griffith University, they have really helped me get to the next level. This is just the beginning, so I’m super stocked with that,” said Wilkes.
“It would everything to me to make a team, I’ve been dreaming of it since was a little kid, it hasn’t always been the easiest of roads, but great to see the hard work is starting to pay off. Full credit to everyone at training, my parents in the crowd, it’s so good, I’m stoked,” said Wilkes.
2025 Australian Swimming Trials, SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre:
Women’s 100m butterfly
- Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD) 56.42Q
- Lily Price (Rackley Swim Team, QLD) 57.82Q
- Bella Grant (Trinity Grammar, NSW) 58.26
Women’s 200m individual medley
- Ella Ramsay (Griffith, QLD) 2:09.21Q
- Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) 2:10.42Q
- Isabella Boyd (Nunawading, VIC) 2:11.72
Men’s 100m breaststroke
- Nash Wilkes (Griffith , QLD) 1:00.19
- Bailey Lello (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:00.47
- Josh Collett (Bond, QLD) 1:00.48
