Day 1 kicked off with a boom at the 2015 British Summer Nationals at Ponds Forge in Sheffield as youngsters set new age group standards.
The Women’s 200m freestyle had a number of ladies grace the 2 minute mark though 16-year-old Georgina Boyle from Chelsea & West SC was able to break the barrier with a 1:59.72, setting the fastest time of the evening in the event. That breaks the British Age Record of 1:59.90 set by Rebecca Turner in 2009.
Editor’s note: this meet’s age groups are divided by birth year, so even though Boyle is competing as a “17/18,” she’s actually 16.
Anne Bochmann of Bath University took out the 19Yrs/over category in 2:00.04 closely followed by Keynsham’s Amelia Maughan in 2:00.40 and Libby Mitchell from Swansea Aquatics in third 2:01.33.
Plymouth Leander’s Antony James took out the Men’s 19Yrs/over 100m butterfly touching the wall in a swift 52.20, ahead of Loughboro University’s Adam Fawl in 53.74, closely followed by Braxston Timm claiming third in 53.78 from the Co Sheffield SC. James had a disappointing British Championships, where he was just a 52.88 in this event to miss the team for the World Championships, but he is Britain’s third-fastest ever in the race, and with nobody taking full domeestic control of the reigns in this event yet, is still building toward a run at Rio. The top butterfly spot in Britain is suddenly a coveted spot, with a potential medley relay medal in the future thanks to the dominance of Adam Peaty on the breaststroke leg.
Among the age group winners in that 100 fly was Northampton’s Daniel Savage, who swam a 55.82 – just two tenths shy of becoming the fastest Brit at that age in the event.
Records tumbled in the Men’s 400m IM with 13-year-old Charlie Hutchison from Ellesmere Co shaving close to a whopping 5 seconds from Matthew Johnson’s previous age group record with a 4:35.97. He was followed by Co Leicester’s William Bell in second place 4:41.09, who was less than three-tenths of a second from the old 2009 record as well.
The grueling event in the Men’s 19Yrs/over category saw Sheffield’s Max Litchfield claim victory in 4:17.63 followed by the aforementioned Johnson, now of Bath University, in 4:18.54 and University of Sterling’s Lewis Smith secured third in 4:19.62.
Multiple record breaking performances were seen in the splash and dash of the Women’s 50m butterfly with Ellesmere’s Tazmin Pugh improving 0.2 from the 15-year olds record in a 27.22. The old best was a 27.48 done by Sian Harkin in 2010. That gave Pugh the fastest 18 & under time of the day, placing her only behind the senior ccategory led by Loughboro’s Emma Wilkins (26.75) for the overall title.
Another smashing performance was seen in the same event by 16-year-old Imogen Clark in 27.39 from the Derventio SC slicing 0.07 off the age group record.
The Men’s 400m freestyle relays were dominated by Millfield School’s teams who took out first place in both the 14/16 Yrs 3:33.63 and 17 Yrs/over divisions 3:24.44.
In the Women’s 400m freestyle relay Stockport Metro A team won the 14/16Yrs in 3:51.68, while the 17Yrs/over age group Plymouth Leander A team secured first place in a time of 3:47.61.
Sorry, old 16 year old Girls record was 1:59.90.
Thank you for the great write up. Georgie Boyle is actually only 16, she doesn’t turn 17 til December (the meet is being run by year of birth so she’s competing in the 1998-1997 born category). Her 1:59.72 is an Age Group record beating the 1:58.90 set by current GB swimmer Beck Turner in 2009.