By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern.
The final day of the British Summer Nationals proved to be more than memorable for Plymouth Leander. In the men’s 400 medley relay event Plymouth Leander occupied not one but two positions on the podium. Plymouth Leander’s A relay concluded the six-day meet by storming to first place way ahead of the field in a time of 3:44.90. In second place and earning the silver medal was Cockermouth in 3:47.23, and touching in third place was Plymouth Leander B in a time of 3:49.54.
Loughborough’s Andrew Weatheritt also stormed to victory in the ultimate splash-and-dash event as he touched the wall in 22.33 in the men’s 50 freestyle event. Earning silver was Aaron Rickhuss of Plymouth Leander in 22.59, and in third was Jack Thorpe of Edinburgh in 22.72. Only a second separated the ten finalists.
17 year-old Chloe Finch of Birmingham swam the fastest 400 freestyle of the evening posting a time of 4:11.54. Two seconds behind in second place was Georgina Boyle of Chelsea and West, and in third place was Alice Dearing of Royal Wolverhampton School in 4:14.75. On the men’s side, Max Litchfield took the title in the event in 3:51.21, managing to touch out Loughborough’s Caleb Hughes by only half a second. Hughes earned silver in 3:51.94, and Daniel Jervis of Swansea Aquatics earned bronze in 3:52.21.
Sarah Vasey of Derventio took the women’s 100 breaststroke title in 1:07.92, 0.1 ahead of Edinburgh University’s Corrie Scott who touched in a time of 1:08.08. Rachael Wilson of Derwentside touched in third 1:09.74, claiming the bronze medal.
In the men’s disciplinary event James Hollis of Loughborough grabbed gold in the 100 butterfly in 58.71 seconds. Touching the wall in second posting a time of 1:01.04 was Kahoru Harazawa of Dulwich Dolphins. Both swimmers belong to category ten.
On the women’s side Alice Tai of Bournemouth College took the title in 1:07.00. In second place was Amy Marren of Romford town in a time of 1:13.53, and in third place was Chloe Buck of Harrogate touching in 1:14.56. Tai belongs to category ten, while Marren and Buck belong to category nine.
Harriett Cooper completed her successful week by posting the fastest 50 freestyle on the women’s side. The 17-year-old from Derby touched the wall in 25.61 seconds, an inch ahead of Sunderland’s Freya Rayner and Thanet Swim’s Katie Latham who both touched the wall in 25.67, both earning the silver medal. Touching in third place was Plymouth Leander’s Juliette Casini in 26.08 seconds.
Finally, the City of Leeds 14-16 year-old women’s relay team posted the fastest time of the evening in the 400 medley relay event. The Leeds team touched the wall in a time of 4:12.20, three seconds ahead of Stockport Metro (4:15.63,) and four seconds ahead of Sheffield (4:16.16.)
2015 British Summer Nationals, Day 6 – Results
