O’Connor Takes the Helm of the 200 IM World Rankings

Siobhan-Marie O’Connor created the highlight of the third night of the British Swimming Championships. O’Connor took the women’s 200 IM in a time of 2:09.51 two seconds ahead of Hannah Miley who posted a 2:11.65. O’Connor’s catapults her to the top of the world rankings ahead of Kanako Watanabe who recorded a 2:09.81 just a week ago.

The time is the second fastest that the Commonwealth Games gold medalist who has posted in her career. O’Connor put up a 2:08.21 to win the gold last summer in Glasgow.

Miley’s silver medal winning performance is a season’s best and places her ninth in the world rankings.

European Championships silver medalist Aimee Willmott finished third in a 2:13.30.

Men’s 200 backstroke

After finishing third in the men’s 100 backstroke Craig McNally returned to the water to take gold in the men’s 200 backstroke in a time of 1:57.58. McNally was well off his best of 1:55.67 which he posted at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona.

Joseph Patching finished second in a time of 1:58.17 followed by Luke Greenbank who recorded a 1:58.71.

Women’s 100 backstroke

The women’s 100 backstroke was a thrilling race involving Elizabeth Simmonds, Lauren Quigley, Fran Halsall and Georgia Davies. The speedster Davies turned first at the 50 meter mark in a time of 29.04 followed by Quigley who recorded a 29.27 with Halsall (29.45) and Simmonds (29.61) not far behind.

Simmonds vaulted her self from fourth to the top of the podium in the final 50 meters winning the event in a time of 1:00.03. Quigley finished second in a time of 1:00.16 followed by Halsall who hit the wall in a time of 1:00.29. Davies, the Commonwealth Games silver medalist, dropped down to third finishing in a disappointing 1:00.74.

Simmonds time puts her seventh in the world rankings.

Men’s 1500 freestyle

Stephen Milne won the men’s 1500 freestyle in a time of 14:58.25 putting himself in the second place position in the world rankings with only Mack Horton having gone faster this year.

Caleb Hughes took the silver in a time of 15:04.76 followed by Jay Lelliott who posted a 15:09.51.

Women’s 800 freestyle

In another fine performance Jazz Carlin recorded a winning time of 8:21.58 in the women’s 800 freestyle. Carlin’s time puts her third in the world rankings behind Katie Ledecky and Jessica Ashwood.

Carlin had an incredible summer improving on her time in the event by almost three seconds in the event posting an 8:15.54 to win the European Championships.

Jessica Thielmann finished second in a time of 8:32.19 followed by Camilla Hattersley who touched in a time of 8:37.99.

Full results can be found here.