Chloe Tutton Breaks British 200 Breast Record By 1.5 Seconds

2016 BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS/OLYMPIC TRIALS

19-year old Chloe Tutton from the City of Cardiff swim club has broken the British National Record by a resounding margin.

What’s even more stunning is where Tutton sat coming into this meet to where she’ll emerge from it.

Tutton’s 2:22.34 on Tuesday at the British Olympic Trials improved upon the 2:23.82 that Molly Renshaw, Tutton’s peer in age, did at the 2014 European Aquatics Championships. Renshaw occupied the adjacent lane and swam 2:23.56, which is also faster than her old British National Record.

Before comparing Tutton’s swims to the records, we think it’s worthy to compare them to her previous best time (done in March of this year), and her second-best time, done a year ago at the 2015 British Championships:

  • Tutton (’16 New British Record): 32.66 / 1:08.88 / 1:45.09 / 2:22.34
  • Tutton (’16 Previous Personal Best): 33.99 / 1:11.39 / 1:48.52 / 2:25.67
  • Tutton (’15 Previous Personal Best): 33.55 / 1:10.86 / 1:49.18 / 2:26.76

Presented by 50:

  • Tutton (’16 New British Record): 32.66/36.22/36.21/37.25 = 2:22.34
  • Tutton (’16 Previous Personal Best): 33.99 / 37.40 / 37.13 / 37.15 = 2:25.67
  • Tutton (’15 Previous Personal Best): 33.55 / 37.31 / 38.32 / 37.58 = 2:26.76

Her improvement curve is a fairly traditional one seen in younger swimmers, and those not at this high of an elite level internationally. A swimmer has a really good taper one year, comes back the next year and holds much of that quality, perhaps swimming a best time in-season, or very close to it. Then, that swimmers goes to their big championship meet, throws caution to the wind, opens up with energy, and holds on to destroy their lifetime best.

While a typical pattern for, perhaps, a swimmer to get from a 2:35 to a 2:32 in this event, it’s not one usually seen to take them from 2:26 to 2:22 – a world-class time.

Below is the National Record comparison:

  • Tutton ’16 (New GBR Record):  32.66/36.22/36.21/37.25 = 2:22.34
  • Henshaw ’16 (Also under Record): 33.12/35.79/36.83/37.82 = 2:23.56
  • Henshaw ’14 (old GBR Record):  33.46/36.49/37.63/36.24 = 2:23.82

Despite their double-dip under the British mark, neither swimmer automatically qualified for the Olympics based on the stiff British qualifying standards. They will await the results of the rest of the meet and the discretionary selections by the National Team staff.

Tutton was a part of the British youth squad that traveled to compete in the Japan Open in May of 2015 as part of the country’s Tokyo 2020 development program.

 

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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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