2017 Swim Wales Winter Championships
- December 1-3, 2017
- Wales National Pool Swansea
- Live Results
15-year old pro swimmer Matt Richards has broken the Welsh junior record and British Age Record in the 200 long course meters freestyle swimming at the 2017 Wales Winter Championships.
Richards swam 1:51.29 to place 3rd in the Super Final, which crushed the old record of 1:54.18 that belonged to Richards himself from a meet in July. It also broke the British Record for 14 year olds, which was set in 2012 by Suleman Butt at 1:53.34.
Welsh Junior Records are defined as under the age of 16 as of the first day of the meet.
Richards announced on October 11th that he had signed with Funky Trunks to begin his professional swimming career.
That was the only event that he swam at this weekend’s meet. Richards now holds a total of 5 Welsh junior records:
- 100 SCM free (51.77)
- 200 SCM free (1:51.29)
- 200 LCM free – 1:54.18
- 50 LCM fly – 25.68
- 100 LCM fly – 57.09
Update: in spite of official results saying the meet is in short course meters and that Richards is 15, the meet was in fact in long course meters and Richards is 14 – he turns 15 late this month.
Three other Welsh junior records were set at this meet:15 year old Ioan Evans in 100m and 200m backstroke (58.53 and 2.04.16) and 15 year old Medi Harris in 100m backstroke (1.02.71)
This is a long course meet, so his record is long course.
Hi Graham, while I wasn’t present to witness the meet first hand, the results explicitly say short course meters. If you have evidence to the contrary, please pass it along.
I originally thought it was short course metres too as that’s what appears in the results but it is in fact LCM as explained here http://www.swimwales.org/events/swim-wales-short-course-championships-2017 (even the link says short course!!)
Thanks Gina for helping to clear that up! Will update the article shortly.