Picture of Jemma Lowe provided by (Photo by David Crawford / www.stillsport.com)
Jemma Lowe won the 200 butterfly on the second night of the British Gas National Championships in a time of 2:09.25 missing the British World Championships qualifying time by six one-hundredths of a second, but she made amends for that miss by winning the 100 butterfly in a time of 58.02 which is under the British qualifying time of 58.37. Her time is a season’s best by 55 one-hundredths of a second and is currently tied for the ninth fastest time in the world this year.
That will put her into position to be chosen for the team competing for Barcelona and with that swim will give the selection committee an opportunity to allow her to swim the 200 butterfly as well.
She was followed by Rachael Kelly who finished in a time of 58.49 and Tilly Gray who posted a time of 59.40.
Roberto Pavoni took the 200 IM in a time of 1:58.14, which is a personal bet time by 1.68 and is under the British World Championship qualifying time of 1:59.64. His time is the eighth fastest time in the world this year.
Roberto Pavoni – Pictures provided by (Photo by David Crawford / www.stillsport.com)
This was a great event for the Brits with the top four swimmers posting times that were better than their World Championships qualifying time. Iuean Lloyd finished second in a time of 1:58.63, followed by Daniel Wallace who finished third in a time of 1:59.00 and Joe Roebuck who finished fourth in a time of 1:59.21.
Wallace’s 1:59.00 sets a new Scottish record, breaking the record of 1:59.15 set by Gregor Tait in 2008.
The women’s 100 backstroke was a great race between Georgia Davies and Lauren Quigley, who were separated by one one-hundredth of a second at the turn with Davies posting a 29.25 and Quigley posting a 29.26.
Quigley had the stronger second 50 by not by much, winning the event in a lifetime best of 1:00.07 followed by Davies who finished second recording a time of 1:00.13.
Both women finished under the British qualifying time of 1:00.43.
Jessica Fullalove finished third finishing in a time of 1:00.48
When watching the women’s 200 IM one usually expects to see Hannah Miley finish ahead of the field, but that was not the case at this year’s World Championship Trials. Siobhan-Marie O’Connor took the first 100 meters out almost a second and a half over the field. That changed in the breaststroke where Sophie Allen showed her strength and turned inside a second behind O’Connor and continued her surge in the freestyle overtaking O’Connor to win the event in a time of 2:11.34.
Allen’s time is a lifetime best, with her previous best being 2:11.49, which she swam in 2012.
O’Connor finished second in a time of 2:12.12 followed by Miley who finished third posting a time of 2:12.77. All three women, along with Sophie Smith who finished fourth in a time of 2:13.05, were under the British qualifying time of 2:13.05.
Semi-Finals
Men’s 100 freestyle (qualifying time 48.77)
Adam Brown the winner of the men’s 50 freestyle qualified first for the 100 freestyle by posting a time of 48.99. Robbie Renwick, who has already won the 200 and 400 freestyle at the competition, qualified second in a time of 49.63 followed by 18 year old Ben Proud who qualified in a time of 49.66.
Proud continued to show incredible speed and incredible improvements during this weekends events. His time is almost a full second lower of his previous lifetime best of 50.48.
Ben Proud – Pictures provided by British Swimming (Photo by David Crawford / www.stillsport.com)
Proud’s progression in the 100 freestyle since 2011:
2011 – 54.84
2012 – 50.50
2013 – 49.66
Women’s 200 breaststroke (qualifying time 2:26.81)
Molly Renshaw qualified first in the women’s 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:27.82. She was followed by Stacey Tadd, the winner of the 50 breaststroke, who posted a time of 2:28.39 and Sophie Taylor who recorded a time of 2:28.98.
Men’s 100 breaststroke (qualifying time 1:00.60)
19 year old Ross Murdoch qualified first in the 100 breaststroke in a lifetime best time of 1:00.01. His previous best had been a 1:00.97. he was followed by Adam Peaty who posted a 1:00.16, which is over a second and a half better than his lifetime best coming into the meet of 1:01.66. Christopher Steeples qualified third in a time of 1:00.77 followed closely by 200 breaststroke winner Michael Jamieson who qualified in a time of 1:00.79.
Men’s 100 butterfly (qualifying time 52.22)
Michael Rock was the fastest qualifier by far posting a time of 51.99 which is just inside the world’s top ten. He was followed by Antony James who recorded a time of 52.72 and Adam Barrett who qualified in a time of 52.87.
Women’s 100 freestyle (qualifying time 54.39)
As could be predicted 50 freestyle champion, Fran Halsall, qualified first in the 100 freestyle in a time of 54.39. She was followed by Jessica Lloyd who posted a 55.14 and Rebecca Turner who qualified in a time of 55.35.
Men’s 200 backstroke (qualifying time 1:57.42)
100 backstroke champion Chris Walker-Hebborn qualified first in a time of 1:57.73. He was followed by Craig McNally who recorded a time of 1:58.44 and Ryan Bennett who qualified in a time of 1:58.85.
2 teenagers top the men’s 100 breaststroke semis at 1:00.01 and .16; plus Michael Jamieson should be under 1:00 and Benson has been .09, and Steeples and Willis are also 1:00 swimmers. Should be an excellent race!
Indeed – Some real class teenagers coming through. Benson, Murdoch and Peaty are all ’94 birth years, on top of Steeples (’92), Willis, Jamieson and Holderness – British breaststroke looks amazing.
Pleased for Lauren Quigley too – First and third in that race are ’95 and ’96 – Both heading rapidly towards breaking the 60 second barrier.