Another Scottish Record Is Slain By The Hand Of Kathleen Dawson

2016 BUCS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• November 11th-13th, 2016
• British Universities & Colleges Sport Championships
• Ponds Forge, Sheffield
• 25m (Short Course Meters)
• Meet Central
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap
• Day 3 Recap

While competing at the 2016 British Universities & Colleges Sport Championships (BUCS) meet in Sheffield, Scottish backstroking queen Kathleen Dawson, scored her 2nd Scottish National Record. After already clinching the 200m backstroke victory last night in a new national mark of 2:06.05, 19-year-old Dawson collected the women’s 100m back win tonight, touching in a monster 57.66.

Dawson’s previous time of 58.11 earned in Ontario last December represented the Stirling swimmer’s personal best (and Scottish NR) headed into Ponds Forge. But, the 19-year-old surged well past that effort tonight, registering the first sub-58-second outing of her young career. Of the field today, Dawson was not just the only swimmer to go sub-58, she was also the only competitor to go sub-59.

Dawson has proven to be a major regional player, holding Scotland’s 50m/100m/200m national records across both SCM and LCM distances. While competing at her first senior European Championships meet this past summer, Dawson took bronze in the 100m backstroke event (59.58). She also won gold as a member of Great Britain’s 400m medley relay squad.

At just 19 years of age, Dawson has some time to grow into the swimmer she is showing the potential she can become. Right now, she ranks within the top 25 in the women’s SCM 50m backstroke world rankings, while also sitting as the 16th fastest swimmer in the world this season in the 200m backstroke. Her highest ranking comes in this 100m backstroke, where her shiny new 57.66 Scottish National Record is presently the 11th fastest mark in the world.