By Craig Lord
SHEFFIELD, England, April 11. DARREN Mew was the man of the minute at the British Olympic trials in Sheffield tonight when he shattered the Commonwealth record over 100 metres breaststroke to become the third fastest man ever in 1:00.02 and leave in his wake winners of bronze and silver medals on a world stage and the Commonwealth champion.
Five world-class breaststroke specialists had come to Sheffield in search
of two places on the Great Britain team over 100 metres. If the race for
second produced the blanket finish that had been expected, a stunning burst
of speed by Mew over the final 15 metres put the matter of victory beyond
doubt in decisive fashion.
On a night when five more British records fel to take the tally of new
standards established over five days to 18, just 0.49 of a second split the four men who followed Mew home, James Gibson, the bronze medal winner at the World Campionships last year, snatching second place in 1:01.29 to secure the second berth ahead of Chris Cook, on 1:01.46, Ian Edmond, on a Scottish record of 1:01.77 and Adam Whitehead, the Commonwealth champion from Manchester in 2002, fifth in 1:01.78.
Whitehead was left contemplating his future last night as the only one
of the five who will not compete in Athens, Edmond and Cook having
qualified over 200 metres on Thursday. The harshness of his situation could
not have been more stark: all five times yesterday would have made the
Olympic final in Sydney, where Mew's time would have won and Gibson's would
have brought him the silver medal.
Since then, two men have dipped below the minute, Kosuke Kitajima, of
Japan, having clocked 59.78 seconds to break the 59.94 seconds world record of Russia's Roman Sloudnov in the world title race in which Gibson finished third in Barcelona last year.
Gibson turned first at the turn yesterday, 0.10 seconds ahead of Mew, coached by David Lyles at Bath University, but started to tighten with 20 metres to go. In the past, that would have also been the point at which Mew's long flowing stroke would start to falter. Not yesterday. "I could feel him dropping away from me at 15 metres to go," said an excited Mew. "When you get that feeling it really boosts your confidence."
Mew, 25, revealed that he had strained a nerve in his neck when switching
from breatstroke to doggy paddle in the swim down after the semifinal on
Saturday. The same team of sports scientists from Bath University who
helped him to recover from a back injury he sustained during a month of
training on Australia's Gold Coast in January came to the rescue. "I
couldn't have done it without their help and the support of my coach and
family," he added.
The last four Olympic gold medals won by British swimmers have gone to
breaststroke specialists: Anita Lonsbrough, over 200 metres in 1960, David
Wilkie, over 200 metres in 1976, Duncan Goodhew, over 100 metres at the
boycotted Moscow Games in 1980 and Adrian Moorhouse, over 100 metres in
1988. Mew said he was looking forward to seeking membership in that club.
Gibson may come to feel the same but last night he was stunned at having
qualified "by the skin of my teeth." A change to his training programme
might have been behind an effort that was well shy of the 1:00.37 at
which he had held the Commonwealth record since Barcelona. "I didn't feel
uptight tonight. I just swam like a bleep, bleep, bleep…," he added.
"I've got time to go away and work with Ben (Titley) on getting it right."
Titley, meanwhile, will have two medal contenders in Athens. After
establishing herself as one of the fastest 200-metres freestyle women in
history on Friday, Melanie Marshall set a British record of 54.56 seconds over 100 metres freestyle to become the first in this country below 55 seconds. She is now within a second of world records over both 100 and 200 metres.
It was good news, she said, but better was the knowledge that while the
"times were fast, the swims were rubbish, technically". Room for improvement in the months ahead was crucial to the fight to win medals in
Athens, she added.
If she and Mew were the swimmers of the Trials, Stockport Metro's Sean
Kelly was the hero among coaches, placing four men on the Olympic team,
which will be confirmed today: beyond Graeme Smith, Stephen Parry won the
200 metres butterfly, Adrian Turner won the 400 metres medley in a British
record of 4:16.65 ahead of Bath's Robin Francis, and James Goddard
was inside target time on 100 metres backstroke as he finished behind
Edinburgh's Gregor Tait, on a British record of 54.90, 0.10 seconds inside
Martin Harris's 1995 standard.
By a much smaller margin, just 0.05 seconds, less than the flap of a bird's
wings, Mark Foster, world silver medal winner, former short-course world
champion and record holder, missed his Olympic qualification target over 50
metres freestyle.
As one era ended, so another began, as teenagers David Davies and Joanne
Jackson booked their place in Athens with times that would have ranked them
second and fourth fastest in the world over 1,500 metres and 400 metres
freestyle respectively.
But while they will attend their first Olympic Games, Foster will not be
at what would have been his fifth: under the selection policy, only a
medical certificate produced 24 hours before the final and providing
evidence of ill health would have thrown Foster a lifeline after he raced
to a 22.47 second victory, 0.31sec ahead of Matthew Kidd.
The sick can try again at the European championships in Madrid next
month. There was no illness last night, however, only deep disappointment,
though Foster confirmed that he still intends to race in Spain.
Foster, 34, won the silver medal at the world championships last year in
22.20 seconds. Yesterday he admitted that he had not read the selection policy and said he would fall on the mercy of selectors. The chance of clemency is slight when the team is announced today. Bill Sweetenham, the national performance director, said: "It's not my decision. There is a selection policy in place. The selectors will decide. Those who came here fit had to do a qualifying time. It didn't happen in that race."
It did in the 1,500 metres, to two men. Davies, 19, became only the
13th member of an elite club of men to race inside 15 minutes over 1,500
metres freestyle with a British record of 14:57., 1.01sec inside the standard that had stood to Graeme Smith, the 1996 Olympic bronze medal
winner, since he won the silver medal at the world championships in 2001.
Last night, Smith was second in 15:11.81 and will race the distance
in Athens.
"My main aim was to make the qualifying time, but to get the record is just a bonus," said Davies. "It's just awesome."
The Welsh swimmer took the lead from the start to move steadily away from the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist.
And he said, "I didn't have a clue how fast I was going. The crowd was going mental, but I didn't know if that was because of the qualifying time or because of the record."
Davies, who finished fourth at the World Championships last year and is coached by Dave Haller in Cardiff, not only looks like a man who is just
starting out but sounds like one: "I'm looking forward to getting down to
the low 14:50s now and I'm sure I can, especially when I'm in the company
of the best in the world."
Jackson, 18, who leapt to prominence when she won the European short-course title over 400 metres freestyle, confirmed that she is capable of matching that standard in the Olympic long-course pool with victory in
4:08.45.
Others to qualify for Athens on a day in which 11 swimmers ounched their tickets for Greece included world champion Katy Sexton and Loughborough's Karen Lee, on 200 metres backstroke, their success spelling the end of Sara Price's dreams of racing over her best distance in Athens.
Dallas-based Georgina Lee sliced 0.51 seconds off her own national record in the semifinal of the 200 metres butterfly on Saturday and yesterday
clocked 2:09.42 in the final to add the event to her Greek programme.
Scotland's Gregor Tait, who qualified for the 200m backstroke earlier in the week, became the first British backsroker to break 55 seconds for 100 meters, as he stroked a new national record of 54.90 to take an Olympic 100m spot.
In the men's 200m butterfly, Stockport's Steve Parry, a Florida State alum, outswam James Hickman (City of Manchester) in 1:56.16. Hickman was second 1.56 seconds back, but failed to qualify.
Great Britain Olympic Trials
Ponds Forge
Sheffield, England, UK
April 7 – 11, 2004
50 meter pool
RESULTS
Day Five: April 11, 2004
Event 32 Men 200 LC Metre Butterfly
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Stephen Parry 27 Stockport MO 1:56.73 1:56.16
2 James Hickman 28 CO Manch AQ 1:58.64 1:58.72
3 Mark Lewis 21 Stirlingswim 2:00.29 1:58.96
4 Matthew Bowe 21 Bath Univ 2:00.11 1:59.55
5 Matthew Edwards 18 Loughboro UN 1:59.90 1:59.92
6 Ryan Tancock 21 Exeter City 2:00.96 2:01.38
7 Andrew Hunter 18 Millfield 2:04.59 2:04.21
8 Darren Wigg 24 CO Newcastle 2:03.85 2:04.39
=== Semi-Finals ===
7 Michael Rock 17 CO Liverpool 2:01.04
10 Charles Mills 17 Ren 96 2:04.96
11 Martin Leel 19 Co Aberdeen 2:05.10
12 Daniel Pilbrow 22 Bath Univ 2:05.50
13 Richard Savage 18 CO Newcastle 2:05.59
14 Simon LE Couilliard 17 Portsmouth N 2:07.17
15 Ben Higson 18 Stirlingswim 2:08.21
16 Donal O'Neill 24 Loughboro UN 2:08.31
Event 33 Women 200 LC Metre Backstroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Katy Sexton 22 Portsmouth N 2:12.15 2:11.48
2 Karen Lee 21 Loughboro UN 2:12.91 2:11.86
3 Sarah Price 25 Loughboro UN 2:13.04 2:13.79
4 Stephanie Proud 16 Durham Aqua 2:15.39 2:14.45
5 Joanna Fargus 22 Bath Univ 2:14.60 2:16.51
6 Hollie O'Connor 15 Kingstonhull 2:16.83 2:16.72
7 Lorna Smith 16 Ren 96 2:16.62 2:17.19
8 Samantha Williams 19 CO Coventry 2:18.83 2:18.12
=== Semi-Finals ===
7 Gemma Spofforth 17 Portsmouth N 2:16.63
9 Elizabeth Simmonds 13 Lincoln Vulc 2:18.44
11 Kimberley Jervis 17 CO Liverpool 2:19.76
12 Kayleigh Boyall 19 Nova Cent'n 2:20.04
13 Katherine Wyld 18 Leatherhead 2:20.19
14 Karen Chadderton 17 Stockport MO 2:20.78
15 Laura Beechey 19 Loughboro UN 2:20.91
15 Amy Clayden 17 CO Leeds 2:20.91
Event 34 Men 100 LC Metre Breaststroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Darren Mew 25 Bath Univ 1:00.65 1:00.02*
2 James Gibson 24 Loughboro UN 1:00.50 1:01.29
3 Christopher Cook 25 CO Newcastle 1:01.28 1:01.46
4 Ian Edmond 26 CO Edinburgh 1:02.05 1:01.77
5 Adam Whitehead 24 CO Coventry 1:02.07 1:01.78
6 Chris Tidey 22 Co Cambridge 1:04.17 1:04.57
7 Christopher Watkinson 18 Braintree 1:04.33 1:04.80
8 David Bartlett 20 Bath Univ 1:04.47 1:04.99
=== Semi-Finals ===
6 Michael Williamson 23 CO Coventry 1:03.17
10 Neil Van Den Broek 25 Swim Swansea 1:04.70
11 Robert Lee 21 Stirlingswim 1:04.83
12 Kristopher Gilchrist 21 CO Edinburgh 1:04.94
13 James Kirton 19 CO Sheffield 1:05.22
14 Craig Elliot 17 Cockermouth 1:05.28
15 Joe Gannon 21 CO Salford 1:05.34
16 Mark Branch 17 N Aryshire 1:06.33
Event 37 Women 100 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Melanie Marshall 22 Loughboro UN 55.40 54.62*
2 Kathryn Evans 23 Nova Cent'n 55.70 55.52
3 Karen Pickering 33 Ipswich 56.18 56.00
4 Lisa Chapman 20 Loughboro UN 56.46 56.17
5 Rosalind Brett 25 Loughboro UN 56.33 56.32
6 Karen Legg 26 Ferndown 56.39 56.45
7 Alison Sheppard 32 Milngavie &B 56.19 56.54
8 Claire Windeatt 19 Kingstonhull 56.55 56.58
=== Semi-Finals ===
9 Janine Belton 25 Loughboro UN 56.62
10 Francesca Halsall 14 CO Liverpool 56.70
11 Julia Beckett 18 Winchester 56.81
12 Victoria Cook 19 Hatfield 56.97
13 Emma Dutton 22 CO Leeds 57.07
14 Julie Douglas 24 Loughboro UN 57.13
15 Karen Nisbet 23 CO Leeds 57.21
16 Jenni Kilgallon 18 Co Dundee 57.85
Event 38 Men 100 LC Metre Backstroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Gregor Tait 25 CO Edinburgh 55.05 54.90*
2 James Goddard 21 Stockport MO 55.26 55.16
3 Liam Tancock 19 Loughboro UN 55.95 55.71
4 Nathan Oxford 21 Nova Cent'n 57.01 56.78
5 Matthew Clay 22 Bath Univ 57.02 56.86
6 Lee Warcup 22 Kingstonhull 59.18 58.57
7 Liam Wardley 18 Co Cambridge 59.13 58.65
8 Scott Houston 17 Ren 96 58.62 58.76
=== Semi-Finals ===
4 Nick Neckles 26 Stirlingswim 56.60
10 Jamie Smithers 19 T5 Ldn West 59.25
11 Simon Porter 21 Loughboro UN 59.35
12 Paul Turner 18 Maxwell 59.61
13 Joel Roberts 19 CO Edinburgh 59.74
14 Tom Harnett 22 Beckenham 59.77
15 Ian Powell 19 Millfield 1:00.03
16 Robert Lang 20 CO Edinburgh 1:00.22
Event 39 Women 200 LC Metre Butterfly
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Georgina Lee 23 Camphill Ed 2:08.89* 2:09.42
2 Terri Dunning 19 Co Birm'Ham 2:13.97 2:11.84
3 Bethan Coole 20 Swim Swansea 2:14.24 2:13.73
4 Rebecca Shaw 19 CO Leeds 2:15.50 2:15.88
5 Stephanie Johnson 16 Durham Aqua 2:15.62 2:16.50
6 Jessica Dickons 14 BO Stockton 2:17.87 2:16.99
7 Sophie Caul 18 CO Coventry 2:17.17 2:17.11
8 Hana Capstick 17 Maxwell 2:18.48 2:18.64
=== Semi-Finals ===
6 Leonore Kelleher 22 Loughboro UN 2:16.27
10 Rebecca Adlington 15 Nova Cent'n 2:19.08
11 Laura Chase 17 Portsmouth N 2:19.13
12 Cassandra Patten 17 Plymouth Lea 2:19.60
13 Sarah Healey 22 Loughboro UN 2:19.80
14 Jessica Kneller 21 Loughboro UN 2:20.76
15 Suzanna Kaminski 19 BO Kirklees 2:20.80
16 Julie Gould 15 Guildford CT 2:21.40
Event 40 Men 50 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Mark Foster 34 Bath Univ 22.49 22.47
2 Matthew Kidd 25 Leatherhead 22.70 22.78
3 Sion Brinn 31 Bath Univ 23.12 23.14
4 Owen Morgan 20 Kingston Roy 23.42 23.26
5 Matthew Tutty 20 Corby 23.20 23.30
6 Christopher Cozens 22 Loughboro UN 23.38 23.33
7 Anthony Howard 25 Horwich 23.33 23.51
8 Alexander Scotcher 24 Loughboro UN 23.33 23.53
=== Semi-Finals ===
9 Craig Gibbons 19 Maxwell 23.44
10 David Leith 24 CO Edinburgh 23.60
11 Craig Houston 19 Stirlingswim 23.68
12 Edward Denton 18 Millfield 23.73
13 Stephen Hughes 23 CO Coventry 23.80
14 Richard Salt 21 Bath Univ 23.97
15 Neal McGRANN 22 Nireland 23.99
16 Andrew Manley 27 Swindon Dolp 24.10
Event 43 Women 100 LC Metre Breaststroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Kirsty Balfour 20 CO Edinburgh 1:09.76 1:09.94
2 Rachel Genner 22 CO Coventry 1:09.76 1:09.99
3 Kate Haywood 17 Loughboro UN 1:10.65 1:10.20
4 Stacey Tadd 15 Bath Univ 1:11.45 1:10.51
5 Lorna Tonks 16 Bath Univ 1:11.93 1:11.01
6 Emma Dutton 22 CO Leeds 1:11.18 1:11.38
7 Yasmin Holmes 16 City Norwich 1:11.74 1:11.77
8 Rikki Jackson 18 Portsmouth N 1:12.28 1:12.27
=== Semi-Finals ===
1 Emma Robinson 26 Loughboro UN 1:09.64
10 Rachael Wilson 16 Gates & Wick 1:12.52
11 Joanne Mullins 21 Loughboro UN 1:12.62
12 Debbie Hall 16 Rotherham MO 1:12.65
13 Grace Callaghan 16 CO Coventry 1:12.69
14 Rose Morahan 17 Millfield 1:13.09
15 Louise Henley 19 Torfaen 1:13.49
16 Alex Savage 19 Ferndown 1:14.10
Event 44 Men 1500 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 David Davies 19 Co Cardiff 15:28.60 14:57.93*
2 Graeme Smith 28 Stockport MO 15:52.16 15:11.81
3 Christopher Alderton 17 Durham Aqua 15:34.23 15:29.84
4 Alan Bircher 23 Bath Univ 15:49.32 15:41.93
5 Daniel Ritchie 17 Warrender 15:46.96 15:45.67
6 Jonathan Andrews 23 CO Leeds 15:51.71 15:46.71
7 Liam Smith 17 CO Leeds 15:57.71 16:01.76
8 Adam Desmond 20 CO Coventry 16:00.55 16:02.47
=== Heats ===
9 Mark McKENNA 16 CO Manch AQ 16:00.68
10 Neil Gilson 19 Exeter City 16:08.97
11 Chris Whitcombe 21 Bath Univ 16:09.54
12 James Clarke 16 Millfield 16:12.79
13 Nicholas Harris 20 Nova Cent'n 16:13.11
14 David Proud 19 Durham Aqua 16:13.33
15 Michael Unsworth 18 Wigan Wasps 16:15.69
16 Lewis Andrews 19 Loughboro UN 16:16.48
17 Peter Hall 16 Co Chester 16:16.80
18 Robbie Renwick 16 Co Aberdeen 16:19.49
19 Daniel Fogg 17 East Essex 16:20.96
20 Simon Panting 17 Northampton 16:24.67
21 Michael Newell 15 Aquabears 16:39.22
22 James Stockdale 16 Portsmouth N 16:42.90
23 Adam Brown 15 Hatfield 16:43.76
Event 47 Women 400 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Joanne Jackson 18 Durham Aqua 4:19.75 4:08.45
2 Rebecca Cooke 21 CO Glasgow 4:12.69 4:11.75
3 Caitlin McCLATCHEY 19 Northampton 4:16.08 4:15.23
4 Kerri-Anne Payne 17 Stockport MO 4:15.51 4:15.32
5 Danielle Berry 16 Durham Aqua 4:22.14 4:21.25
6 Laura Chase 17 Portsmouth N 4:20.88 4:21.40
7 Sarah Heyes 21 CO Manch AQ 4:22.02 4:22.01
8 Natalie Prince 18 Elmbridge 4:22.61 4:22.15
=== Heats ===
9 Emma Wicks 16 Portsmouth N 4:22.63
10 Rebecca Adlington 15 Nova Cent'n 4:22.78
11 Nathalie Brown 21 BO Southend 4:22.81
12 Caroline Saxby 21 Wear Valley 4:25.01
13 Lorna Tonks 16 Bath Univ 4:25.94
14 Amy Park 16 Kingstonhull 4:26.05
15 Katherine Wyld 18 Leatherhead 4:27.29
16 Rachael George 14 Hatfield 4:27.31
17 Jessica Learmonth 16 CO Leeds 4:27.53
18 Dawn Jason 17 West Suffolk 4:28.44
19 Ceri Unwin 13 Hatfield 4:28.94
20 Ashton Bowman 17 Stirlingswim 4:29.28
21 Natalie Durant 14 T5 Ldn West 4:29.53
22 Jordon Tomlinson 14 Lincoln Vulc 4:29.74
23 Jenna Paton 16 Stockport MO 4:30.08
24 Philippa Davies 20 Hereford 4:30.80
25 Emma Harrison 14 Warrender 4:32.02
26 Emily Rashleigh 14 Bolton Metro 4:32.26
27 Cara Moody 16 Co Birm'Ham 4:32.87
28 Katie Raybould 14 Stafford Apex 4:33.26
29 Rosy Murray 14 Portsmouth N 4:34.57
30 Jenny Starling 14 CO Sheffield 4:34.70
31 Tara Walsh 14 Stockport MO 4:34.93
32 Abby Johnson 14 Durham Aqua 4:35.05
33 Lauren Hayden 16 CO Leeds 4:35.12
34 Jazmin Carlin 14 TigersharksW 4:36.83
35 Emma Burke 14 CO Coventry 4:38.37
36 Amy Phipps 14 CO Coventry 4:40.04
37 Lauren Collins 13 Co Birm'Ham 4:41.27
— Georgina Lee 23 Camphill Ed NS
Event 48 Men 400 LC Metre IM
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Adrian Turner 27 Stockport MO 4:28.42 4:16.65*
2 Robin Francis 22 Bath Univ 4:29.18 4:17.84
3 Euan Dale 19 Millfield 4:28.75 4:24.35
4 Neil Ashcroft 21 CO Coventry 4:29.55 4:25.06
5 Christopher Thompson 21 Portsmouth N 4:29.55 4:27.03
6 Thomas Haffield 16 Co Cardiff 4:29.83 4:29.01
7 Lewis Smith 16 Warrender 4:32.25 4:30.14
8 Ben Ward 20 Loughboro UN 4:30.68 4:31.50
=== Heats ===
9 Jamie Smithers 19 T5 Ldn West 4:32.32
10 Simon Birch 19 Stockport MO 4:33.15
11 Joseph Roebuck 19 Loughboro UN 4:33.57
12 Kristopher Gilchrist 21 CO Edinburgh 4:34.15
13 Stuart Bloor 20 Stirlingswim 4:34.30
14 Daniel Halksworth 18 Portsmouth N 4:36.35
15 Edward Downes 17 Maxwell 4:36.86
16 Michael Unsworth 18 Wigan Wasps 4:37.42
17 Max Underhay 17 Portsmouth N 4:37.51
18 Michael Jamieson 16 CO Glasgow 4:38.37
19 Alex Vine 19 Wycombe Dist 4:39.57
20 Mark McKENNA 16 CO Manch AQ 4:42.08
21 Oliver Jarvis 19 Portsmouth N 4:42.65
22 Paul Nesbitt 17 Nova Cent'n 4:43.08
23 Christopher Chasser 16 South Aberde 4:43.66
24 James Stockdale 16 Portsmouth N 4:46.66
25 Adam Brown 15 Hatfield 4:48.88
26 Peter Hall 16 Co Chester 4:50.73
27 John Molyneaux 16 West Wight 4:59.84
— James Kirton 19 CO Sheffield NS
*: National Record