2019 EUROPEAN JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, July 3rd – Sunday, July 7th
- Aquatics Palace, Kazan, Russia
- LCM
- Meet Site
- Entry List
- Day 1 Prelims Recap/Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap/Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap/Day 3 Finals Recap
- Live Results
The teen who has been downing British Age Records left and right did it again tonight while competing on day 3 of the 2019 European Junior Championships in Kazan.
16-year-old Matt Richards busted out the swim of his life to take the first international elite medal of his young career, smashing a personal best of 48.88 to top the men’s 100 free podium.
Splits for the teen’s race include 23.72/25.16, with Richards showing a Chalmers-esque back half strategy in the race after hitting the mid-point mark in 3rd place.
The Royal Wolverhampton swimmer planned his attack masterfully, first producing a 49.91 PB in the prelims to overtake his 49.98 punched at the British Championships this past April. Then he produced a time of 49.50 to further challenge the clock and log another PB and British Age Record.
Saving his best for last, however, Richards cranked out a monster 48.88 to clinch the victory, stand atop the podium and further cement his name into the Age Group books in Great Britain. But, he’s doing more than that, with his sub-49 effort now checking Richards in as the 7th fastest British Open Age swimmer ever in the men’s 100m free.
Top 7 British Performers Ever in Men’s 100m Free
| Duncan Scott | UniOfStirl | 97 | British Championships 2019 | Glasgow | 1 | 18/04/19 | 47.87 | |
| Simon Burnett | Windsor | 83 | Olympic Games 2008 | Beijing, China | 1 | 10/08/08 | 48.20 | |
| Adam Brown | Hatfield | 89 | FINA World Championships 2013 | Barcelona, Spain | 1 | 31/07/13 | 48.48 | |
| Benjamin Proud | Plymouth Lea | 94 | Edinburgh International Meet | Edinburgh | 1 | 11/03/16 | 48.52 | |
| Liam Tancock
David Cumberlidge |
Exeter City | 85 | British Gas Champs (50m)
World University Games |
Sheffield | 1 | 19/03/09
05/07/19 |
48.76 | |
| Calum Jarvis | N Cornwall | 92 | British Championships 2015 | London | 1 | 15/04/15 | 48.79 |
Matt Richards, Royal Wolverhampton, 02, European Junior Championships 2019 Kazan 05/07/19, 48.88
Kid needs to go to NC State. He will have a WR if he does.
Paris looks like it could be incredible for British men’s sprint. Whittle’s times at that age are mind blowing.
You’ve missed David Cumberlidge off the list, he swam 48.7 at WUGS yesterday leading off the 4×100 relay..
I’d love to know what other people think, is this swim more impressive than 14 yo Jacob Whittles 49.97?
49.9 from a 14 year old is mind-blowing, so it would have to be that. I wouldn’t want to compare them though – I’m just enjoying Britain having a few good young sprinters for a change. Both massively talented.
Nah. 14 yo swimming 49.97 is so much more impressive
The 49.97 was a relay swim. Let’s compare apples to apples – 48.88 for Richards (born Dec. 2002), 50.4 for Whittles (born Sept. 2004). Both awesome swimmers with huge potential!