GBR’s Laura Stephens Scorches 2:07.04 200 Fly Best Time In Tokyo Quest

2021 BRITISH SWIMMING GLASGOW MEET

Plymouth Leander’s Laura Stephens definitively put her hat in the ring in terms of vying for a spot on the British Swimming Olympic roster on day 2 of this Glasgow Meet.

Racing in the evening prelims of the women’s 200m butterfly, 21-year-old Stephens crushed a big-time 2:07.04 to lead the field by well over 3 seconds.

Stephens opened her race in 1:01.97 and closed in 1:05.07 to register the fastest result of her career. Entering this meet the European Championships relay medalist’s fastest 200m fly time checked in at the 2:07.62 she logged at last year’s Edinburgh International, just before the national lockdown due to the coronavirus.

At the British Olympic Trials this past April, Stephens settled for bronze in a time of 2:09.53. That rendered her out of Olympic qualification for the time being, with only winner Alys Thomas making the grade with her title-winning effort of 2:08.09. Runner-up at that Trials race was tonight’s 3rd seed out of the heats, Keanna Macinnes, who has a shot at making the 2:08.32 cut established by British Swimming.

Although Stephens will need to produce this high-caliber-type performance in the final for her to be considered for the Tokyo roster, her 2:07.04 renders her as the 4th fastest British performer all-time, frog-hopping retired Charlotte Atkinson.

Stephen’s prelims time here now slots her as the #6 swimmer in the world this season in a time that would have grabbed the silver medal at this year’s European Championships.

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Sapnu puas
3 years ago

Surely she’s going even if she flops in the final?

Chris
Reply to  Sapnu puas
3 years ago

Yes – unless Macinnes drops a lot of time she’s going. Even if Macinnes does drop a lot of time she’s still going as a medley relay swimmer

She’s the only non selected swimmer I’m 99% sure about (Lucy Hope is at 95% and it falls off dramatically from there!)

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