2017 British Swimming C’ships Day 4 Prelims Recap

2017 BRITISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, April 18th – Sunday, April 23rd
• Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield
• LCM
• Qualifying Times Analysis (for this meet)
• Qualifying Times Analysis (for 2017 World Championships GBR squad)
• Meet Site
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream
• Live Results

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIM

• FINA A – 2:11.11
• British 1st place standard – 2:07.73
• British consideration standard – 2:10.52
• Top 8:
  1. Ross Murdoch – 2:10.88
  2. Andrew Willis – 2:11.83
  3. Craig Benson – 2:12.31
  4. Calum Tait – 2:12.99
  5. James Wilby – 2:13.23
  6. Edward Baxter – 2:13.98
  7. Charlie Attwood – 2:14.41
  8. Luke Davies – 2:15.01

With breaststroke maestro Adam Peaty focusing on just the 100m and 50m distances this meet, the door is even more wide open for the top men to take charge and try for a Budapest roster spot in this event. 2014 Commonwealth Games champion Ross Murdoch of the University of Stirling has staked his claim early, notching a smooth 2:10.88 to represent the only sub-2:11 swimmer of the morning. The 23-year-old’s 2:07.30 from Glasgow in 2014 remains as the British national record, but he’s yet to come close in recent elite meets.

Murdoch won this event at last year’s European Championships in a super quick 2:08.33, a mark that would fall within the British consideration standard. He’s already nabbed that feat in the 100m distance, finishing behind Peaty for silver in 1:00.00.

Eyes will also be on 2016 Olympian Andrew Willis, who cruised to the 2nd seed in 2:11.83. That’s a relaxed swim from the man who finished 4th in this event in Rio with a monster 2:07.78 and came within half a second of Murdoch’s national record. Last year’s podium saw Willis top the field in the only sub-2:09, checking in with 2:08.08 while Murdoch claimed silver in 2:09.07. Our 3rd seed, Murdoch’s teammate and 2-time Olympian Craig Benson, earned runner-up status at the 2016 edition of this competition, clocking 2:09.07.

Two Loughborough teammates reside in the 5th and 6th seeds in the form of James Wilby and Edward Baxter. The pair notched morning efforts of 2:13.23 and 2:13.98, respectively, but we know how Loughborough swimmers have already been on fire on the whole so far this meet.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – PRELIM

• FINA A – 54.90
• British 1st place standard – 53.08
• British consideration standard – 54.25
• Top 8:
  1. Freya Anderson – 54.40
  2. Siobhan-Marie O’Connor – 54.49
  3. Lucy Hope – 55.09
  4. Anna Hopkin – 55.15
  5. Ellie Faulkner – 55.46
  6. Jessica Jackson – 55.63
  7. Georgia Davies – 55.90
  8. Kathryn Greenslade – 56.13

In a women’s sprint freestyle field void of now-retired national record holder Fran Halsall, things are looking up in Britain in the form of 16-year-old Freya Anderson. The Ellesmere Titan has been tearing up the age group records as of late and already finished a surprising 4th in the splash n’ dash here in Sheffield after being scratched into the final.

Today, the teen wrangled in the top seed in one of only 2 54-point outings of the entire stable of sprinters. Scorching the only 26-second opening split of the field (26.58), Anderson wound up with a morning time of 54.40, a mark which overtakes Halsall’s national age record of 54.80. That’s a huge drop for Anderson, whose personal best rests at the 54.72 she earned en route to taking European Junior Championships gold last year in Hungary.

But seasoned racer Siobhan-Marie O’Connor is gunning for a chance to shine in this event, scoring a morning swim just .09 behind Anderson in 54.49. O’Connor, the women’s 200m IM Olympic silver medalist, finished in runner-up status in the 50m freestyle earlier this meet, so the 21-year-old Bath swimmer is seeking her first gold of these championships.

Anna Hopkin, who earned gold in the 50m here in Sheffield, lurks in the 4th seed, as does 200m freestyle winner and 2016 Olympian Ellie Faulkner, who touched in 55.46 for 5th.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIM

• FINA A – 52.29
• British 1st place standard – 51.22
• British consideration standard – 51.75
• Top 8:
  1. James Guy – 52.81
  2. Adam Barrett – 53.00
  3. Sean Campsie – 53.49
  4. Sam Horrocks – 53.67
  5. Duncan Scott – 53.78 (tied)
  6. Cameron Brodie – 53.78 (tied)
  7. Kevin Wallbank – 54.26
  8. Calum Jarvis – 54.53

2016 Olympian James Guy earned the quickest time of the morning, touching in 52.81 to set himself apart from the rest of the field. The 21-year-old won this event last year in a time of 52.15, so the Bath swimmer is already on target for a big swim come tonight’s finals.

Already at this meet, Guy has collected gold medals in the 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly, the latter of which produced a huge personal best. Having only been back in the water full-time at Bath since January, the 200m freestyle world champion has proven to be on fine form here in Sheffield.

Red-hot Duncan Scott, who last night became Britain’s first-ever 100m freestyle under 48-point, notched a solid morning swim of 53.78 to tie teammate and 200m butterfly silver medalist Cameron Brodie. For Scott, his morning mark already surpasses his personal best of 53.99 set just last month at the Arena Pro Swim in Indianapolis, so he’s already on par to add another medal to his Sheffield collection. In addition to winning the 100m freestyle, the University of Stirling stud earned bronze in the 200m fly. For his part, Brodie is hungry for a podium position, however, after finishing 4th last year.

The man who may ruin everyone’s plans is Adam Barrett, however, as he no doubt has designs on improving upon his bronze medal result from last year. Barrett gave us a glimpse of his speed already this meet, notching a swift 100m freestyle prelim mark of 48.94 before scratching out of the final. Presumably, Barrett opted out of  contesting the 100m freestyle title to focus on this event, so look for him to swim with abandon come tonight’s finals.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIM

• FINA A – 2:11.53
• British 1st place standard – 2:07.17
• British consideration standard – 2:09.47
  1. Charlotte Evans – 2:12.26
  2. Jessica Fullalove – 2:12.31
  3. Chloe Golding – 2:13.18
  4. Kirsty Simpson – 2:13.38
  5. Rosie Rudin – 2:13.45
  6. Candice Hall – 2:13.68
  7. Kathleen Dawson – 2:13.89
  8. Courteney Price – 2:14.35

The stage is set for a brutal battle in this women’s 200m backstroke, with all contenders packed closely together headed into the final. Charlotte Evans of Loughborough indeed holds the top seed in 2:12.26, but the 2015 British champion in this event, Jessica Fullalove is right behind.

Rosie Rudin claimed the 5th seed with her swim of 2:13.45, giving her a nice spot for tonight’s final. Rudin already showed hints of fearlessness in the women’s 400m IM, where she charged out front in the first half, only to fade out to 4th in the race overall.

Multiple Scottish national record holder Kathleen Dawson could also give the field a run for their money in this event, making it into the final with a 7th-seeded time of 2:13.89. She holds a personal best mark of 2:09.62 from last year’s British Summer Championships, so she’ll need a lifetime best to swim under the bare minimum consideration standard.