2017 British Swimming Championships: Day 5 Finals Recap

2017 BRITISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, April 18th – Sunday, April 23rd
• Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield
• LCM
• Qualifying Times Analysis (for this meet)
• Qualifying Times Analysis (for 2017 World Championships GBR squad)
• Meet Site
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream
• Live Results

WOMEN’S 50 BACK – PRELIMS

• FINA A – 28.52
• British 1st place standard – N/A
• British consideration standard – N/A
• Podium:
  1. Georgia Davies – 27.69
  2. Kathleen Dawson – 28.19
  3. Lucy Hope – 28.49

Georgia Davies came within a hair of her own British record in winning the 50 backstroke. The 26-year-old was 27.69 to win by a half-second and jump to #5 in the world ranks for the season.

The Loughboro swimmer has now swept both sprint backstroke races this weekend after cracking a minute to win the 100. Second went to Kathleen Dawson of Stirling in 28.19 with Lucy Hope going 28.49 for bronze. Both Dawson and Hope are 1997-born swimmers representing the British youth in the event.

MEN’S 50 FREE – PRELIMS

• FINA A – 22.47
• British 1st place standard – 21.54
• British consideration standard – 22.00
• Podium:
  1. Ben Proud – 21.32
  2. Thomas Fannon – 22.21
  3. Jack Thorpe – 22.53

Benjamin Proud exploded for a new British record in the 50 free, smashing a 21.32. That takes a good two tenths off his own national record set last summer in Rio. Proud was 21.54 in the Olympic semifinal and ultimately took 4th, missing the medals by about two tenths. His time this week would have won last year’s Olympic gold medal and ranks #1 worldwide, displacing the 21.44 put up by Russia’s Vladimir Morozov last week.

The Brits have now lowered both sprint freestyle national records this week as Duncan Scott lowered the 100 free earlier in the meet.

Thomas Fannon was second in 22.21 and Jack Thorpe was 22.53 for bronze.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – PRELIMS

• FINA A – 4:10.57
• British 1st place standard – 4:03.43
• British consideration standard – 4:06.86
• Podium:
  1. Holly Hibbott – 4:06.37
  2. Jazmin Carlin – 4:07.24
  3. Eleanor Faulkner – 4:07.62

Teenager Holly Hibbott won the women’s 400 free for Stockport, going 4:06.37. That sneaks under the consideration standard by half a second, and also cracks the world’s top 5 this year.

Jazz Carlin was second in 4:07.24, touching out Eleanor Faulkner (4:07.62) as the top three ran away from the rest of the field.

MEN’S 200 IM – PRELIMS

• FINA A – 2:00.22
• British 1st place standard – 1:57.11
• British consideration standard – 1:58.15
• Podium:
  1. Max Litchfield – 1:58.10
  2. Mark Szaranek – 1:58.39
  3. Duncan Scott – 1:58.44

Max Litchfield picked up the 200 IM win, sliding under the consideration time by less than a tenth. His 1:58.10 puts him within a second of the British 200 IM record that has stood since 2009. Litchfield already broke the national 400 IM mark earlier this week.

Co-NCAA champ Mark Szaranek was second in 1:58.39, just outside the consideration mark. And 100 free champ and record-breaker Duncan Scott was third in 1:58.44.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – PRELIMS

• FINA A – 2:13.41
• British 1st place standard – 2:09.56
• British consideration standard – 2:10.75
• Podium:
  1. Hannah Miley – 2:11.75
  2. Abbie Wood – 2:12.62
  3. Molly Renshaw – 2:13.21

Hannah Miley topped a spread-out 200 IM field, going 2:11.75 for a dominant win. She beat Loughboro duo Abbie Wood (2:12.62) and Molly Renshaw (2:13.21) for the title, though none of the three made Britain’s standard times.

All three hit FINA A cuts, though. The big story was the disqualification to national record-holder and Olympic silver medalist Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, who was competing in the final after holding the top qualifying time out of prelims at 2:12.39.