Australian McClure breaks 50m backstroke world record

Three-time Paralympian Jeremy McClure ensured the crowd was on its feet on Wednesday (13 April), breaking the men’s 50m backstroke S11 world record at the 2016 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide.

Despite the event not being on the Paralympic programme, the performance shows that 28-year-old McClure is in great form ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

His swim of 32.22 seconds took down the 11-year-old mark of Poland’s Damian Pietrasik, set in Berlin, Germany in 2005.

McClure finished with 1,008 points in the mixed class event, ahead of Daniel Fox in 30.06 (972 points) and Michael Anderson in 28.80 (905 points).

In the women’s event, Taylor Corry picked up another title, winning in 32.17 (951 points). Nicole Miro was second in 34.08 (803 points) whilst Madeleine McTernan was third in 34.07 (801 points).

Sydney schoolgirl Tiffany Thomas Kane showed skill beyond her 14 years, taking another Australian title when she won the 200m individual medley. The Ravenswood swimmer has picked up the medley as a new event this year and dominated the final, winning in 3:08.98 (897 points). Katherine Downie took silver in 2:34.84 (832 points) whilst Canberra’s Madeleine Scott took bronze in 2:38.68 (809 points).

Triple Paralympian and team leader Matthew Levy won the title in the corresponding men’s event. The 29-year-old won in 2:36.67 (934 points). Home crowd favourite Jesse Aungles was second in 2:28.68 (851 points) and Timothy Disken was third in 2:21.54 (841 points).