2024 AQUATICS GB SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (OLYMPIC TRIALS)
- Tuesday, April 2nd – Sunday, April 7th
- Prelims at 10 am local (5 am EDT), Finals at 7 pm local (2 pm EDT)
- London Aquatics Centre
- LCM (50m)
- British Swimming Olympic Selection Policy
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview
- Entries
- Results
- Livestream: Channel 4 Youtube coverage
- Prelims: Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap/Day 3 Recap
- Finals: Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap/Day 3 Recap
History was made in the men’s 100m freestyle on night 3 of the 2024 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships (Olympic Trials).
For the first time, 3 men dipped under the 48-second barrier in the final, turning heads around the world with the relay implications.
Matt Richards clocked 47.84 for the gold followed by Duncan Scott (47.92) and Tom Dean (47.94). Alexander Cohoon was close to the barrier, wrapping up 4th in 48.20 for an Olympic relay slot.
For perspective, it took 49.42 to make the men’s 1free final at the 2023 edition of these championships, while this time around in London one had to be as quick as 48.75.
The increase in speed wreaked havoc on the all-time British performers list with 4 of the top 12 being replaced.
One man who bumped himself up to become the 6th-swiftest the nation has ever seen was David Cumberlidge.
27-year-old Cumberlidge of Edinburgh wowed the crowd with a prelims swim of 48.16 to claim the 2nd seed.
Splitting 22.97/25.19, Cumberlidge tore his previous personal best of 48.76 to shreds. That prior PB was established over 4 years ago at the 2019 World University Games.
Although Cumberlidge placed 6th last night, his final performance of 48.41 still dipped well under his PB and represented a vast improvement over the 49.55 he posted at the 2023 British Championships where he placed 5th in the B-Final.
Cumberlidge’s career has taken a winding road beginning in his teen years. He reportedly gave up swimming at the age of 14 only to go back to the sport 3 years later.
He made his Team England debut at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and helped the nation earn silver in both the men’s 4x100m free and 4x100m medley relays. Individually he placed 4th in the 50m free on the Gold Coast.
Since his previous 48.76 100m free PB in 2019, his performances have been relatively stagnant with yearly bests hovering in the 49-high range. That is until something clicked at this competition that spurred on Cumberlidge’s best form to date with no warning signs.
Although he missed qualification in this 1free event, Cumberlidge’s newfound speed bodes well for the 50m freestyle later in the competition.
Cumberlidge’s Yearly Best in LCM 100 Free
- 2019 – 48.76, World University Games
- 2020 – 49.80, Edinburgh International
- 2021 – 50.97, British Swimming Championships
- 2022 – 49.79, Spanish Summer Junior Nationals
- 2023 – 49.55, British Swimming Championships
- 2024 (before this meet) – 49.57, Edinburgh International
- 2024 (at this competition) – 48.16, Aquatics GB Olympic Trials
That’s gotta one of the most British names to ever appear in a headline here.
If you say it three times a spot of tea and crumpets appears on a table in front of you.
He’s never been on my GB radar before, but WELL DONE!
PS: a photo of him along with Scott and Dean would be nice, too. . . . .
He’s been recognised for years as sprinter in Scotland!!
His country was always Scotland for studies therefore England forgot he existed until 2018
He always been there or there about in sprinting..
being in Scotland I’m sure he probably had assistance (though limited ) with winning students – a grant that doesn’t exist in England.