Lure of 400M tempts McEvoy
CAMERON McEvoy has revealed he was tempted to add the 400m freestyle to his Commonwealth Games program but for a scheduling clash at next February’s trials.
McEvoy had success in the event at the recent World Cup in Singapore, winning silver behind Hungary’s Peter Bernek in the shortcourse pool.
He will turn out in the event again tonight at the state titles, tackling it about an hour before joining a crack field in the 100m freestyle.
Olympic gold medallist Kyle Chalmers will join McEvoy in the 400m field, with the pair attempting to recover before taking on the likes of two-time world champion James Magnussen, dual Olympian James Roberts and rising star Jack Cartwright in a hot 100m final.
“I’ve got the 400m free-100m free double on Monday and that’s going to be very tough, especially in the (training) block I’ve been doing,” McEvoy said.
“We’ve been focusing more on fitness foundational work, which is great for the 400m.
“But then having that double up in the 100m might give a bit of suppression to the speed.”
It’s a program McEvoy is willing to take on at the state titles but it presents too much of a risk at trials given the depth of the men’s sprint field.
“My program at trials is the 200m free day one, 100m free day two, day off, 50m free.
“If the 400m was on day three, I would definitely have contemplated it but unfortunately it’s a double with the 100m, so I’ll concentrate on the 100m.”
Every sprinter will have to be on song at the trials in February, with the five men who have dipped under 48 seconds in the 100m freestyle vying for just three individual spots at the Commonwealth Games.
It makes events like tonight’s Queensland championships final invaluable race practice.
“I’m going to be standing up in that 100m against some very tough competitors, which is exciting,” McEvoy said.
“We’ve got five guys who have been under 48 seconds, which is pretty impressive, so I’m pretty excited for that.
“We’re very lucky domestically to have such strong depth in the events that I do.
“The 100m free and 200m free here, you just have to look at the program here and it’s crazy.
“The time that I went to qualify for the London Olympics in the 200m is ranked 13th in the entry times (at the state titles), which is incredible and just shows the evolution of those events over the past few years.
“It makes for a much tougher competition but it’s exciting for the sport.”