HUNTER product Abbey Harkin has stated a case for this year's World Championships and turned the tables on a breaststroke rival by claiming her second national title in the space of three years.
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Harkin, a Dolphins representative at both the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, won the women's 100-metre breaststroke final at the Australian Championships.
Her time of one minute and 7.77 seconds (1:07:77), recorded on the Gold Coast on Tuesday night, ensured victory in front of two-time defending champion Jenna Strauch (1:08:16) and Talara-Jade Dixon (1:08:60).
The former Maitland schoolgirl and Coughlan's swimmer, now based in Brisbane and linked with the St Peter's club, finished second to Strauch over the same distance at the previous two Australian Championships (2021, 2022).
She broke through for a national title in 2021 by clinching the 200m race. She was second last year. She was fifth fastest in Wednesday morning's heats.
On day one of the current carnival, Harkin repeated her 50m result from 12 months ago by finishing fourth in the decider. She collected bronze in 2021.
The meet wraps up on Thursday. World Championship trials are scheduled for Melbourne in June (13-18). Japan will host the international event in July (14-30).
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
