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ADELAIDE: A 20-year-old from Brisbane has joined an elite group that includes Ian Thorpe, announcing his presence as a rising star in Australian swimming at the national championships on Tuesday night.

Edward Sommerville clinched victory in the men’s 200-metre freestyle with a time of 1:44.93 during the national trials, showcasing his talent on a night already electrified by 16-year-old Sienna Toohey’s performance.

In a remarkable display, Sommerville outperformed three of the four swimmers who secured Olympic bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay in Paris last year: Max Giuliani, Flynn Southam, and Elijah Winnington.

By clocking in at 1:44.93, he became only the fourth Australian to break the 1:45.00 barrier in the men’s 200m freestyle, joining the ranks of Thorpe, Clyde Lewis, and Giuliani.

Catch the 2025 Australian swimming trials live and free on Nine and 9Now, from June 9-14.

Thorpe, whose personal best of 1:44.06 still stands as the national record after 24 years, was commentating for Nine during Sommerville’s race.

“He has an excellent stroke,” remarked the five-time Olympic gold medalist.

“He glides over the water, with a distinct catch and a subtle pause before powering towards the finish.”

Sommerville made his senior Australian debut in December at the world short-course championships in Budapest, where he teamed up with Giuliani, Winnington, and Harrison Turner to claim silver in the 4x200m freestyle event.

He is set to compete for the first time at a senior global long-course championship at the world titles in Singapore, scheduled from July 28 to August 4.

On Tuesday night, Sam Short secured second place with a time of 1:45.71, closely followed by Southam in third at 1:45.85.

Sommerville’s personal best earlier in the day was 1:47.54. He blazed through his heat with a time of 1:46.02 before finishing with his remarkable 1:44.93 in the final.

“This just makes me want to maintain my momentum,” Sommerville reflected after his victory in a fiercely competitive field.

“I’ve put in a lot of effort to reach this point, but I know I still have a long way to go, so I’ll continue to push myself hard.”

Cate Campbell echoed the sentiments of many as Sommerville exited the pool, stating, “You have truly announced your arrival,” before interviewing him on the pool deck for Nine.

“It’s all thanks to my incredible support team, including my parents, siblings, coach, and physios,” Sommerville acknowledged. “I’m excited to showcase what I can achieve.”