Cate Campbell's bid for fifth Olympics appears doomed

Cate Campbell’s quest to swim at a fifth Olympics appears doomed after she missed the 100m freestyle final by one-hundredth of a second at selection trials.

Campbell was bidding to become the first Australian swimmer to race at five Olympics.

But a cruelly timed illness in the lead-up to trials, and the narrowest margin in the sport, appear to have cost the 32-year-old her chance.

Campbell, a four-time Olympic gold medallist and former world-record holder and world champion in the 100m freestyle, was distraught after finishing ninth-fastest through Friday morning’s heats in Brisbane.

Campbell clocked 54.27 seconds, just 0.01 of a second behind eighth-ranked Milla Jansen, and didn’t speak to media post-race.

“I’m really disappointed for Cate,” Campbell’s sister Bronte, who qualified for the final, said.

“She is one of the most incredible athletes that we’ve ever had in this event.

“She was the No.1 freestyler for what, 10, 11, 12 years in a row - that is a feat that’s pretty much unmatched in Australian sporting history.

“I know she was a bit ill leading into this and had a really rough last few weeks.

“So I’m sure she’ll be disappointed because we all know that she’s an incredible athlete and can swim a lot faster than that.”

In a field stacked with sprint talent, Meg Harris (52.52) topped the times ahead of last year’s world champion Mollie O’Callaghan (52.57).

Shayna Jack (52.65) was third-quickest followed by Bronte Campbell (52.95), Olivia Wunsch (53.30), reigning Olympic champion Emma McKeon (53.61) and Brianna Throssell (53.78).

Cate Campbell has one more event at the selection trials, the 50m freestyle on Saturday.

But it’s a long-shot she will secure a top-two finish and with it selection in the event at the Paris Olympics, given the presence of defending Olympic champion McKeon, along with O’Callaghan, Jack and Harris.

Men’s 1500m freestyle favourite Sam Short has withdrawn from the trials as he recovers from illness.

Short, who claimed a bronze medal in the event at last year’s world championships in Japan, has already posted a 1500m time under Swimming Australia’s qualifying benchmark for the Olympics.

The 19-year-old finished second in the 400m and 800m freestyle finals earlier at the trials despite battling gastroenteritis.

In Friday’s men’s 200m backstroke heats, Mitch Larkin kept alive his hopes of racing at a fourth Olympics by sneaking into the final.

He clocked one minute 59.93 seconds and was the eighth-fastest qualifier in a field headed by Brad Woodward (1:56.91) and Josh Edwards-Smith (1:58.14).

In the men’s 200m breaststroke heats, defending Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook (2:08.40) topped qualifying ahead of Joshua Yong (2:10.66).

Jenna Strauch was quickest through the women’s 200m breaststroke heats in 2:24.83 followed by Ella Ramsey (2:25.21).