Horton set to ditch Games 200m freestyle

Mack Horton is considering ditching the 200m freestyle from his Gold Coast Commonwealth Games program.

Last year Mack Horton won the national 200m freestyle "by accident".

Ahead of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Horton is unsure whether he will even contest the event in April after qualifying for the 200m field.

Olympic champion Horton added another event to his growing Gold Coast program on Thursday night when he defended his national 400m freestyle crown on day two of the four-day Commonwealth Games trials.

He clocked three minutes, 45.41 seconds to claim 400m gold, reeling in 1500m specialist Jack McLoughlin over the last 50m.

But Horton was more concerned about Wednesday night's 200m qualifying time.

After winning the 200m title last year when he entered "for fun", Horton failed to defend his national crown on Wednesday night but still managed to qualify for the event by finishing second behind Kyle Chalmers.

While stoked with his 400m national crown, Horton wasn't sure whether he would "waste my energy" in the 200m at the April Gold Coast Games.

He already looks set to contest the 400m, 4x200m relay and his pet event the 1500m freestyle on the Gold Coast.

If Horton withdraws, it looks set to open the door for young gun Elijah Winnington to sneak into the Gold Coast 200m field.

Horton said he had not even discussed it with head coach Jacco Verhaeren but sounded like a man about to ditch the four-lap event.

"I don't know if the 200m is a thing or not," Horton said.

"It's just a lot to take on in a six-day meet - the 200m, 400m, 4x200m relay and 1500m is a lot.

"And I don't think my time in the 200m is as competitive as the other countries.

"I swim it because I want that relay spot.

"If my time was super competitive, then I would be keen but I am not sure if I want to waste my energy on that swim.

"I will definitely talk to Jacco."

Not that Horton didn't rate his Gold Coast chances.

The 21-year-old warned he had plenty left in the tank for Saturday's 1500m at the trials - and for a Gold Coast Games tilt.

"I want to go hard," he said of his 1500m approach.

"Tonight, I think I was feeling the 200m from last night - it took away my easy speed.

"But I will just fine tune that and work on easier speed which should come in the next five weeks (at Games)."


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Source: AAP



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