March 26, 2008

SYDNEY, Australia - Auburn's Matt Targett secured his spot on the Australian Olympic Team on Wednesday at the 2008 Telestra Australian Swimming Championships in Sydney, Australia. The meet is being used as a selection meet for the Australian National Team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Targett is taking the year off from the Auburn swimming and diving team as the Olympic selection meet conflicts with the 2008 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships held this week in Federal Way, Wash.

The Hawthorn, Victoria native swam a 48.36 in the 100m freestyle to earn his place on the team, finishing behind 50m free World record holder Eamon Sullivan, who won the race with a time of 47.52 - just two hundredths of a second off the World record.

Targett entered the race as the No. 3 seed after he finished third in Tuesday's semifinals. He was just short of a half-second faster than his semifinal time of 48.79.

Also competing this week at the Telestra Australian Swimming and Diving Championships is Auburn swimmer Rachel Goh, who is also taking the year off because of conflicts with the NCAA Championships. She was not active during Wednesday's events.

Action in the meet continues Thursday and goes through Saturday, March 29.