Guehrer books flight to Rome
30 March; Rod Warnecke

Second year Arts student Marieke Guehrer claimed gold, one silver and two bronze medals at Telstra Australia Swimming Championships in Sydney recently. These results qualified Guehrer for individual swims in the 50m Butterfly and 100m Freestyle at the FINA World Championships in Rome in July.

Guehrer, who represented Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games as a backstroker, has reinvented herself over the past 18 months as a world-class butterflyer and freestyler. Her win in the 50m Butterfly at the Championship broke the Australian and Commonwealth Record for the event, and the time of 25.60 seconds now ranks her third on the all-time world ranking. Guehrer is also the Short-course World Record holder for the 50m Butterfly (which she broke at the Berlin World Cup in November last year).

While her silver medal in the 100m Freestyle – in a personal best time that rocketed her up to the sixth-fastest Australian of all-time – secured Guehrer the second individual swim in Rome, it will also most likely guarantee her a spot in the coveted 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay team.

Guehrer claimed her bronze medals in the 50m Freestyle behind Trickett and Olympic silver medallist Cate Campbell, and in the 100m Butterfly behind former World Record holder Jessica Schipper and Felicity Galvez.

The 13th FINA World Championships take place in Rome from 19 July – 2 August.

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For further information, contact:
Rod Warnecke, Sport Development Manager
P: 03 8344 8891
F: 03 8344 5583
M: 0403 199 700
E: rod.warnecke@unimelb.edu.au