14-Year Old Whittle Swims 50.3; 16-Year Old Richards Swims 49.9 in 100 Free

2019 BRITISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

A pair of British sprint records went down in the finals races of the men’s 100 freestyle on Thursday at the British Swimming Championships. Both swims came in the transition final, which was the secondary final reserved for swimmers aged 23-and-under.

Matthew Richards of the Royal Wolverhampton School won that heat in 49.98. That broke his own prelims record of 50.29, which was both the previous Welsh Junior Record and British 16-year olds record in the event. The old British mark for that age belonged to Duncan Scott, the current senior National Record holder, who was a 50.67 when he was 16.

Finishing 3rd in that heat was 14-year old Derventio Excel swimmer Jacob Whittle, who touched in 50.37. After making history this morning in what we believe to be the fastest-ever time globally by a 14-year old, Whittle has undercut that mark again. The swim also stands as a new British age record. His best time coming in to the meet was just 52.04.

Editor’s note: while results list swimmers’ ages based on December 31st of this year, national age records are tracked based on the athlete’s age on the date of swim. Both swimmers will age up later this year.

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Human Ambition
5 years ago

Is British national records really tracked on the date of the age of the swimmer the date of the swim? I have never heard of it outside of North America before?

(Not that it is a bad thing – I am pro switching age group at the date of birthday.)

Rafael
Reply to  Human Ambition
5 years ago

In Brazil Age Group Records are based on the age of the date of the swim also..

Dee
Reply to  Human Ambition
5 years ago

Yep. Whittle holds the 13yo record from August last year at 53.59, he turned 14 in the September.

CACrushers
Reply to  Human Ambition
5 years ago

Australia does age of the first day of the meet

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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