AFP/Melbourne
Australia’s Christian Sprenger will have to rely on the discretion of selectors to defend his 100-metres breaststroke title at this year’s world championships after a slow time yesterday.
Sprenger (1:00.67) managed only a second place finish behind Jake Packard (1:00.37) in the national 100m breaststroke final and world championship trials in Sydney.
Both times fell short of the Australian team selection criteria for the 2015 world championships in Kazan, Russia. Sprenger will now have to rely on the selectors giving him the nod to swim in the world titles in July, but most likely in the 4x100m medley team.
The 29-year-old admitted his career might be over if he misses out on a world championships berth, after having his campaign for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow derailed by a shoulder injury.
“It was hard going through the shoulder injury and I am 29,” he said.
“I have some decisions to make in the next few months. You never know but I am happy with what I have done here. “I can’t complain. I have only had six weeks of breaststroke.”
Sprenger’s winning 100m time from last year’s national titles (58.87) is still the second fastest in the
world.
Grant Hackett, meanwhile, kept his hopes alive for selection to the world championships team by qualifying for Sunday’s 200m freestyle final.
The dual Olympic champion clocked the third fastest time (1:47.42).
At 34, Hackett can earn a relay berth for the world championships with a top six 200m final finish on just six months’ training following a six-year break.
