2019 NORTHAMPTON SWIMMING CLUB WINTER FESTIVAL
- Friday, December 20th – Sunday, December 22nd
- Corby East Midlands, International Swimming Pool
- LCM
- Results
Northampton Swimming Club of the United Kingdom saw its 3-day Winter Festival come to a close in East Midlands. Elite medalists James Wilby, Kayla Van Der Merwe and Luke Greenbank were among the attendees competing at the International Swiming Pool, as age groupers also raced their way to wins in the long course format.
26-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medalist James Wilby swept the men’s breaststroke events this weekend, getting ahead of the field in the 50m, 100m and 200m distances. The Loughborough star tallied times of 27.60, 59.62 and 2:10.62, respectively.
Winchester Penguin Kayla Van Der Merwe put up a winning 50m breast mark of 33.03 to give the 17-year-old gold. She also logged an effort of 1:09,26 in the 100m distance, representing the only swimmer to log a time under 1:10 in the final.
Former national record holder and Olympian Molly Renshaw produced a mark of 2:25.31 in the 200m breast to top the podium. Renshaw is the 2nd fastest British performer ever in this event, owning a lifetime best of 2:22.33 from the 2016 Olympic Games. She logged a time of 2:23.78 to place 5th at this year’s World Championships in Gwangju, Korea.
Loughborough’s Joe Litchfield wrapped up his 2019 racing another multi-medal meet here in East Midlands. The 21-year-old stopped the clock in a time of 1:50.29 to take the men’s 200m free, while also producing a winning mark of 53.81 in the 100m fly.
The younger brother of Max Litchfield also notched a time of 2:01.42 in the 200m IM to beat the rest of the field.
World Championships bronze medalist Luke Greenbank got his hand on the wall first in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events, securing victories in relatively pedestrian times of 55.75 and 2:01.51, respectively.
University of Arkansas standout Anna Hopkin pulled a double in the sprint free events, topping the podium in times of 54.81 in the 100m free and 24.93 in the 50m free.
Hopkin wreaked havoc on the British record boards at the World Championships, establishing herself as the 2nd fastest 50m freestyle performer all-time with her lifetime best of 24.34. She also inserted herself onto the all-time British list for the 100m free, becoming the 2nd fastest ever with her monster Gwangju performance of 53.21.
Finally, Northampton’s own Edward Mildred got it done in the 16-year-old age group, racking up 4 victories through the course of the meet. The man nabbed 100m fly gold in 55.20, while also getting his hand on the wall first in the 200m fly in 2:01.80. The men’s 400 IM was also a victim of Mildred, with the teen clocking an outing of 4:29.80 before wrapping up the 100m free gold in 50.90.
I like Joe Litchfield’s versatility right now. Bodes well for his IMs next year. Probably more likely to qualify in the 200 IM than his brother right now.
I have a slight concern about his speed endurance in the LC pool. His PB is ripe for a big revision though – Hopefully both brothers make the cut. 200IM looks like it’ll be brutal at trials on paper.
Quite simply put he can’t do enough underwater LC and has to do some swimming which is not his strength. He has a few routes on to the team 100 back the stronger one though he won’t touch Greenbank. He is a bit like a council estate version of duncan scott
Council estate version of Duncan Scott?!? Fsfkhfdfjjhff I am cackling.
I hope he can make the team but I fear he’ll be just short in a lot of events- potential pick for selectors when they go their random choosing though?