Australian pop star Cody Simpson has qualified for the Commonwealth Games after finishing third in the 100m butterfly final at the national trials.
Simpson clocked 51.96 seconds in the final to match the qualifying time for June’s World Championships in Budapest.
The 25-year-old missed out on a place at the Tokyo Olympics last year after finishing eighth in Australia’s trials.
“I didn’t even think I’d be remotely competitive until this year at the earliest,” Simpson told Amazon.
“To make the team already is just a bonus on the way to Paris [2024].”
Simpson, a talented junior swimmer prior to pursuing a music career that included a top 10 album in the United States, returned to the sport in 2019.
Defending champion Matt Temple won the final in 51.50secs, ahead of 2016 Olympic freestyle champion and Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Kyle Chalmers (51.67secs).
Qualification for this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham was guaranteed for the top three to finish under governing body Fina’s ‘A’ qualifying time.
At the World Championships, each federation is permitted to enter two athletes with the ‘A’ standard per event – but Chalmers does not intend to compete.
Simpson, who had beaten Chalmers to win his heat in a personal best time of 51.79 secs, is now set to be given the chance to compete a major event when the World Championships begin on 18 June.
