Jacob Whittle, at 16 the youngest member of the British team heading to Tokyo, belied his tender years with 48.75 over 100 free in the final heats session of the British Swimming Glasgow Meet.
Molly Renshaw and Abbie Wood set up the prospect of an intriguing tussle once more in the 200 breaststroke with the former looking to add to her 100 title while Anna Hopkin, Joe Litchfield and Ben Proud all delivered performances that indicate a fine last morning of competition before the final preparations and taper for the Olympics begin.
There was also a para-swimming world record by Scott Quin who lowered the SB14 200 breaststroke mark to 2:25.81, taking more than a second off Russian Artem Pavlenko‘s time in the process.
Whittle Thunders To Age Group Record; Hopkin Sets Out Her Stall
Tom Dean: Photo Courtesy: Georgie Kerr
Tom Dean set the pace in the second heat of the 100 free in 49.10 with Matt Richards going 49.82 in the next race thanks to a strong second 50.
Come the final heat, and the last race of the day, and of initial note was the absence of British record-holder Duncan Scott.
Whittle, who trains at the Derventio Excel club and doesn’t turn 17 until September, reached halfway in 24.05 before accelerating and leaving the field in his slipstream with a 24.70 second 50.
It was a British age group record, slicing 0.01 off his own mark and PB of 48.76 set back at the Olympic trials in April which he went into with a PB of 49.97.
Regardless of Scott’s absence, it is set to be a thundering race in the morning with Dean – who has just turned 21 – the oldest of the trio which augurs well for Britain now and in the future.
Hopkin, who claimed European bronze in 53.43, set out her stall in the first 50 of the final heat, going out in 25.74 and coming back in 28.54.
The 24-year-old, who claimed four relay golds on top of that individual bronze in Budapest, will be joined by Lucy Hope (55.33) and Freya Anderson (55.41).
Renshaw And Wood Set Up Spicy Battle
Molly Renshaw; Photo Courtesy: Georgie Kerr, British Swimming
Renshaw has had a season that indicates fine times ahead in Tokyo.
She lowered the British record to 2:20.89 at the trials and won her first individual international title in long-course waters at the European Championships ahead of Lisa Mamie and Yulia Efimova, who isn’t scheduled to race over four lengths at the Olympics.
The 25-year-old, all long stroke and perfect streamline, went out in 1:09.70 and back in 1:13.93 after watching her training mate Abbie Wood set the pace in the previous heat.
Wood, who won the 400IM on Saturday morning, also went under the old British record at the trials in 2:21.89.
Fifth at Europeans, she posted 2:24.23 to set up the prospect of another fine tussle in the morning with Kara Hanlon next swiftest in 2:29.03.
Ross Murdoch set the British record of 2:07.30 at the same Tollcross pool en-route to the Commonwealth title in 2014.
He pushed his heat pretty hard in 2:10.92 with the prospect of James Wilby and Adam Peaty to come in the next race.
Peaty didn’t appear but Wilby did, leading throughout before gliding into the wall in 2:12.18.
Greg Butler, coached by Mel Marshall at Loughborough, was third-fastest in 2:13.95.
Litchfield Sets The Pace
Joe Litchfield: Photo Courtesy: Georgie Kerr, British Swimming
Litchfield split 25.76/28.22, executing superb underwaters that are a hallmark of Dave Hemmings‘ training group at Loughborough.
The younger of the Litchfield brothers, he was 0.13 outside the consideration time to book lane four for the final.
Craig McNally (55.03) and Cameron Brooker (55.13) were next swiftest with Greenbank also through.
European champion Kathleen Dawson and 200 silver medallist Cassie Wild have booked their tickets and neither woman appeared for the 100 back.
In their absence, four-time European champion Georgia Davies posted the fastest time of 1:00.55 with Charlotte Evans (1:02.38) and six-time European Youth Olympic Festival medallist Katie Shanahan (1:02.86) moving through.
Proud Takes Flight
Ben Proud: Photo Courtesy: Georgie Kerr, British Swimming
Proud was the only man to go sub-24 in the 50 fly in which he won the world title in 2017.
The British record-holder, who will focus on the 50 free in Tokyo, posted a time of 23.84 with Adam Barrett (24.07) – back in top-class waters – and Jacob Peters (24.19) next through.
Keanna MacInnes led the women’s race in 27.02 ahead of Lucy Grieve (27.54) and Katie Robertson (27.73).
Final Chance For Hibbott
Luke Turley led the field in the men’s 400 free in 3:54.22 ahead of Max Litchfield who overhauled Kieran Bird in the last couple of metres to stop the clock at 3:54.50 to 3:54.53.
Glasgow represents the final chance for Holly Hibbott to book a slot in the 400 free.
Hibbott is coached at the Bath National Centre by Dave McNulty, the man who guided Jazz Carlin to Olympic silver in the same event as well as the 800 free.
The consideration time is 4:06.96 and Hibbott headed the qualifiers in 4:16.96 ahead of Monique Olivier (4:18.18) and Beatrice Varley (4:19.72).
Advertising: Shop At Swim360