Loughborough’s Fleur Lewis Crushes 15:46.15 SCM 1500 Free British Record At BUCS

2023 BRITISH UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES (BUCS) SC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, November 17th – Sunday, November 19th
• Ponds Forge International Swimming Centre, Sheffield, England
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A new British national record went down on the first night of the British Universities & Colleges (BUCS) Short Course Championships and it happened in the women’s 1500m freestyle.

Representing Loughborough, 19-year-old Fleur Lewis produced a big-time personal best en route to grabbing gold ahead of the pack. She registered a mark of 15:46.15, her first-ever outing under the 16:00 barrier, to get to the wall first.

Behind her was Loughborough teammate Lucie Hanquet of Belgium who clocked 15:56.48 for silver while Sheffield’s Amber Keegan rounded out the top 3 performers in 16:03.93.

As for Lewis, her time overtook the longstanding national record of 15:51.74 Rebecca Cooke put on the books way back in 2005. Career-wise, Lewis’ previous personal best in this grueling event was represented by the 16:02.21 she notched at this same competition in 2022, so she dropped well over 15 seconds in just one year’s time.

Not only does Lewis now become GBR’s fastest female ever in the SCM 1500 free, but Keegan also checks in among the top-tier, ranking 5th on the all-time British performers list.

Lewis’ new record comes on the heels of 14-year-old Amelie Blocksidge also recently taking down a longstanding national mark. The teenage British national champion hit a result of 15:56.79 in the SCM 1500 free at a regional meet earlier this month to take over the British Junior Record that had been the benchmark since 1985.