Leisel Jones qualifies for third Olympics

SYDNEY (Reuters) - World record holder Leisel Jones reached her third Olympics by winning the women's 100 metres breaststroke at the Australian trials on Monday.

The 22-year-old secured her place in Beijing when she won the final in one minute 05.75 seconds ahead of her former training partner Tarnee White (1:06.46).

Jones, who also holds the 200 world record, has dominated women's breaststroke for the past eight years but has yet to win an individual Olympic title.

She is hoping for a change of luck in Beijing.

"It's just nice to know I'm on the team," she said in a televised interview. "But I've still got so much to work on when I get back into training."

Brisbane schoolgirl Emily Seebohm qualified for her first Olympics when she won the 100 backstroke in 59.59 ahead of Sophie Edington (59.84).

Seebohm broke the 50 world record in the semi-finals on Saturday but lost it to Edington just 24 hours later.

Seebohm chose to skip Sunday's final because the 50 event is not on the Olympic programme.

The 15-year-old Seebohm gained some revenge when she beat Edington to win the title and said she was now focussing on American Natalie Coughline's 100 world record of 59.21.

"Natalie Coughlin I'm coming," she declared.

Ash Delaney won the men's 100 backstroke in 53.68 from Hayden Stoeckel (53.86) while Grant Hackett won the 200 freestyle in 1:47.03.

He said he would not give up his spot in the event at Beijing to concentrate on the longer distance events.

Hackett had already qualified for the 400 and is a two-time champion in the 1500. He is also planning to enter the open water race in China.

(Reporting by Julian Linden. Editing by Martin Petty)

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