World champion James Magnussen has continued his build up towards the London Olympics with winning form, cruising to a win in the 100m freestyle at the NSW State Championships on Friday night.
Magnussen, who is unbeaten at the distance in a year, registered a time of 49.02s to beat out Cameron McEvoy (49.44) and Tommaso D’Orsogna (49.46) at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre pool.
Magnussen's time was nearly a second slower than what he posted at last month’s SA State Championships.
"I will have to see what coach Best thought of that swim, but it's definitely not fun going that slow," Magnussen said.
"It's kind of around where I expected to be after I stung out in the morning heats. Maybe that will change the $1.60 (Olympics) odds now."
Meanwhile Beijing triple gold medallist Stephanie Rice was second to Samantha Hamill in the women’s 400m Individual medley.
Rice, who has had a disrupted preparation with a shoulder injury, finished a body length behind Hamill in a time of four minutes 42.29s, with Kiwi Natalie Wiegersma third.
And Nick D'Arcy posted the fastest international butterfly time of the year in taking out the men’s 200m race.
D'Arcy, competing for the first time since defeating Michael Phelps at the Santa Clara Grand Prix in California mid-last year, touched the wall in a time of 1:56.90, ahead of Queenslander Chris Wright (1:57.34) and Sydney swimmer Daniel Tranter (2:00.35).
In the women's 100m freestyle it was 2012 Victorian State Championships winner Melanie Schlanger who continued her white-hot form leading into next month's Australian Swimming Championships taking the NSW title in a new personal best of 53.74s.
Comeback queen Libby Trickett finished back in seventh in 55.54s.