With all the focus on Ian Thorpe's comeback ahead of the national selection trials, Leisel Jones' bid to become the first Australian swimmer to qualify for four Olympic Games faded into the background. In the race immediately after the 200-meter freestyle final which Thorpe stunningly failed to reach, Jones succeeded in gaining a spot on the squad for London 2012 despite finishing second to Leiston Pickett in the 100 breaststroke final Saturday. Second spot was good enough for the 26-year-old Jones, who won gold at Beijing in 2008 to complete a set of medals in the event which started with her silver at Sydney 2000. Then, she was the youngest Australian to win an Olympic swimming medal. Jones had won 11 of the previous 12 Australian titles in the 100 breaststroke. Pickett will be at her first Olympics. Jones, whose eight Olympic medals include three gold, said “I didn't think I'd ever make it to four Olympics ... that's just an absolute dream.” The 20-year-old Thomas Fraser-Holmes won the 200 final in 1:46.88 from Kenrick Monk (1:57.16), who was cleared to represent Australia only after avoiding criminal charges last year after lying to police. Fraser-Holmes had already qualified by winning the 400 individual medley and was happy to drag his teammate along in the 200 free. Other swimmers securing spots in the Australian squad were Emily Seebohm and Belinda Hocking in the women's 100 backstroke and Hayden Stoeckel and Daniel Arnamnart in the men's 100 backstroke. Stephanie Rice, the golden girl of the Beijing Olympics where she won the 200 and 400 individual medleys and the 4x200 relay, swam in the 200 freestyle and 200 IM semifinals, only two days after being the first to qualify for Australia's squad for London by winning the 400 IM title.
