Ashwood all good for Shanghai

Swimmer Jessica Ashwood became the first NSWIS athlete to book an individual spot at the 2011 FINA Aquatic World Championships after a stirring performance in the women’s 1500m freestyle at the 2011 Australian Swimming Championships over the weekend.

Ashwood finished second to four time Australian title holder Melissa Gorman in the gruelling event but was able to clock a time of 16:14.47, just over seven seconds inside the qualifying standard, to book her ticket to Shanghai. The championships will be Ashwood’s first.

Fellow NSWIS athlete Jarrod Killey will likely be included in the Australian team as part of the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Killey finished fifth in the final in 1:48.50.

The weekend swimming action also saw Geoff Huegill finish second in the men’s 50m butterfly, a non-selection event, and the NSWIS quartet of James Magnussen, Eamon Sullivan, Te Haumi Maxwell and Andrew Lauterstein take gold in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay.