By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern.
It’s already that time of the year where Ponds Forge welcomes the best of British Swimming by hosting the 2015 British Summer Nationals. The championships are back again and has certainly started with a splash. And it’s only day one.
The women’s 200 freestyle proved to be a tight race between Anne Bochmann (Bath University,) Amelia Maughan (Keynsham) and Libby Mitchell (Swansea Aquatics.) Bochmann, who cruised into the final with a 2:02.22 touched out Maughan by 0.3 as she touched the wall two seconds quicker than her morning swim with a time of 2:00.04. Maughan also dropped time from her morning swim and went from a 2:04.08 in the prelim to a 2:00.40 in the final. Mitchell won bronze in a time of 2:01.33, dropping a second from her morning swim.
The men’s 100 fly seemed to be a comfortable win for Plymouth Leander’s Anthony James as he touched the wall in a time of 52.20, over a second ahead of the field. Adam Fawl (Loughborough University) and Braxton Timm (City of Sheffield) touched in second and third place, posting times of 53.74 and 53.78 respectively.
The women’s 200 IM was claimed by Emily Jones of Edinburgh University in a time of 2:15.02, two seconds ahead of second place, Alexandra Kaye of Bath Univ. who touched the wall in 2:17.20. Kaye touched out Stephanie Blakeburn of Billingham who grabbed bronze in a time of 2:17.43. Jones, Kaye and Blakeburn all succeeded to drop two seconds from their preliminary swims.
In the men’s Multi-Disability event, Thomas Hamer from the City of Manchester grabbed gold in the 200 freestyle in a time of 2:00.12. In second was Craig Rodgie of Edinburgh Univ. touching four seconds behind in 2:04.28, and in third was Jack Thomas from Swansea Aquatics, touching 0.2 behind Rodgie with a time of 2:04.46. All three swimmers were in category 14.
In the same event on the women’s side Jessica-Jane Applegate from UEA Norwich grabbed gold in a time of 2:05.61. Despite Applegate being in the same category as second and third place, she touched the wall eight seconds ahead of Chloe Davies of Swansea Aquatics (2:13.41) and 13 seconds ahead of Reagan Doig of Perth City (2:18.67). All three swimmers were in category 14.
One of the sport’s toughest events was claimed by Sheffield’s Max Litchfield. Litchfield touched in first place in the 400 IM in a time of 4:17.63, a second ahead of Matthew Johnson of Bath Univ., who touched in a time of 4:18.54. Lewis Smith from the University of Sterling snuck in third place with a time of 4:19.62. Litchfield, Johnson and Smith were the only men to go sub 4:20.
The women’s 50 butterfly was a splash and dash for Loughborough’s Emma Wilkins who touched first in a time of 26.75. In second was Ellen Thomas of Guildford City (27.11) who just managed to touch out Raquel Matos of Edinburgh Univ. Matos took third in 27.17. Only .08 seconds separated second to fourth place.
The men’s 400 freestyle relay proved to be a nail-biter between Millfield School and Swansea Aquatics. After Swansea lead the first 200, Millfield’s Daniel Speers over-took Swansea’s James Brinkley, before leaving Cameron Kurle to anchor the relay in a time of 49.94 and grab gold for the team in 3:24.44. Swansea took second in 3:25.77, followed by Sheffield in third with 3:26.18.
The women’s 400 freestyle relay was a dominant race by Plymouth Leander A. PL displayed strength from the beginning and only extended their lead throughout the race, to finish first in a time of 3:47.61. Three seconds after Stockport Metro touched the wall in a time of 3:50.50. Due to the disqualification of Swansea Aquatics who originally touched in third, Mount Kelly earned the bronze medal in a time of 3:52.17.
The author forget to mention that 16 year old Georgie Boyle from Chelsea and Westminster SC in London actually had the fastest 200 Free of the night with a new National Age Group Record of 1:59.72.
It’s already that time of the year where Ponds Forge welcomes the best of British Swimming
Really? I thought the best of British Swimming was in Kazan.