Former world champion Cate Campbell edged her sister and reigning world champion Bronte to win an epic 100-metres freestyle final at the Australian Championships and Olympic trials in Adelaide yesterday.
Cate Campbell, who won the world crown in 2013, swam close to her personal best time in 52.38 seconds to edge out her sister by just 0.20secs.
Both siblings will now head to the Rio Olympics to resume their friendly rivalry in the event.
Testament to the quality of the race was that Cate Campbell’s time was 0.14secs under the time Bronte took to win the gold medal at last year’s Kazan world championships.
Both sisters showed the punishing effects of the gruelling race in the poolside interview as they winced and gasped in pain from their exertions.
Both are coming back from injuries. Cate had shoulder surgery in late 2014 which left her underdone last year when she claimed bronze behind Bronte in the event at Kazan.
Bronte has been troubled by hip and shoulder problems this year and needs a cortisone injection to settle her shoulder.
“I am just thrilled to be on that plane. It seems like I’ve been
on the road to Rio forever and I am now on the plane to Rio and I couldn’t be happier,” Cate said.
Bronte said: “There’s never been a tougher 100m freestyle final at this national championships and it took me pretty well much my best time just to make the team ... that time won the world champs last year so I’m pleased I put together a good race when it counted.”
Australia is gearing for a potential gold medal-winning women’s relay team at Rio with third placed Emma McKeon going under 53secs in 52.80, while the fourth swimmer Brittany Elmslie clocked 53.54secs.
“It’s exciting. There are four women who were swimming under 53secs and three of them are training in Australia,” Cate
said.
In yesterday’s other finals, world champion Mitch Larkin claimed the backstroke double at the meet, winning the 200m event in 1:53.90secs from Josh Beaver (1:56.19).
Daniel Tranter (1:58.72) won the 200m individual medley in the absence of fastest qualifier Thomas Fraser-Holmes. Justin James was second but both  failed to qualify for Olympic team selection.
Taylor McKeown won the women’s 200m breaststroke in a qualifying time of 2:21.45 from Georgia Bohl (2:23.95).
Cameron McEvoy qualified fastest for the 50m freestyle final following his slashing win in the 100m event on Monday.
McEvoy topped the 50m semi-finals with 22.12secs, ahead of Matt Abood (22.24) and James Magnussen (22.34).