On the penultimate day in London Adam Peaty rewrote the history books as he set a new World record in the Men’s Open 100m Breaststroke at the British Swimming Championships 2015.
Man of the moment, Peaty had the crowd roaring as they carried him to the finish in a time of 57.92. Now World record holder in both 50m and 100m events, the City of Derby swimmer is the first man in history to break through the 58 second barrier.
Reacting to his swim, Peaty said: “I can’t believe it, coming in earlier I thought I could get a really good time, maybe a 58.5. Before that race I just thought I’ve done all the training for a 57, and it all paid it off in the end.
“The crowd were great and they really carried me home at the end, because that was a hell of a pain train. That must be something in that lane four when it really matters.
“It’s going to be a great showdown in Kazan, just because I’ve got the world record doesn’t mean I’m going to get gold, so I’m going to get my head down and make sure I get the medal to go with it.”
University of Stirling’s Ross Murdoch put up a valiant fight, keeping close to the British champion the whole way for 59.12 – inside the World Championship qualification standard.
Loughborough University’s James Wilby earned his first British medal with bronze in 1:00.31.
In an evening of speed, Francesca Halsall proved she’s back on top as she stormed to victory in the Women’s Open 50m Freestyle.
Stopping the clock in 24.37, the National Centre, Loughborough athlete flew from the blocks to secure the win by over a body length and claim her 10th consecutive title.
Halsall, who celebrated her 25th birthday last week, said: “It’s pretty good to be able to come in ten years in a row and be the best in Britain. I didn’t have the ideal preparation coming into this meet, I got sent home from the World Championships in December and it took a lot longer than expected to get back into full training.
“Last year I went a 24.5 at this meet then on to a 23.9 in the summer, so to come here and already be two tenths up on that is a great sign.”
Stockport Metro’s Lauren Quigley led the chasing pack hitting 25.22 for silver ahead of City of Manchester Aquatics’ Rebecca Guy (25.49).
Ben Proud also went one better after his 100m Freestyle silver earlier in the week, topping the podium in the Men’s 50m Freestyle.
The Plymouth Leander swimmer touched in 21.99 earning himself his first gold of the Championships.
Proud said: “Time wise I’m not quite where I wanted to be, it’s always great to go sub-22 seconds but after the fastest heat swim I’ve ever done this morning I was hoping for a little faster.
“It was still a good time for me at this time of year and to race in this sort of environment is wonderful. I would have loved to have earned my place on the team to Russia out right but I’ve just got to hope that they end up taking me.”
Fellow Plymouth swimmer Thomas Fannon took silver in 22.48 from Loughborough University’s Andrew Weatheritt (22.50) with bronze.
After a blistering heat this morning, Rachael Kelly defended her British Championship title in style in the Women’s Open 100m Butterfly final.
Kelly, who trains under Coach James Gibson at the National Centre, Loughborough, put in an impressive final 20 metres to finish in 57.72.
The Staffordshire-born athlete said: “I’m happy I won the race but going the same time as this morning is a little disappointing; I wanted to push it on a bit. I’ve known I had a 57 in me for ages so it’s good to finally do that.
“I’ve really learned to trust my racing in the last 12 months and I know how to get the best out of myself. I knew the qualification standard was going to be hard but hopefully I’ve done enough to make it on to the 4 x 100 Medley relay team.”
National Centre, Bath’s Jemma Lowe collected the silver in 58.07, with team-mate Siobhan-Marie O’Connor completing the podium in 58.37.
Commonwealth Champion Daniel Wallace (Warrender Baths) earned his stripes once again as he claimed his first British title in the Men’s 400m Individual Medley ahead of defending champion Roberto Pavoni (4:14.37).
The Florida Gators swimmer, who won silver in 2013, had a strong breaststroke leg to give himself a healthy lead into the last 100m for a final time of 4:12.78.
Wallace said: “That wasn’t quite the time I wanted but that was still a really good race. It’s such a great rivalry between me and Roberto [Pavoni], he was always the man to beat when I was younger and to get to compete against him here is a really great opportunity.
“I hope I’ve given myself a chance of qualification for the World Championships this summer but I always have the same mentality going into every race and that is to have fun; that’s exactly what I did today.”
The bronze went to University of Stirling’s Lewis Smith in 4:18.24.
Defending champion Sophie Taylor looked determined in the final of the Women’s Open 100m Breaststroke as she stroked down the final straight for a touch of 1:07.39.
The swim saw her fend off Derventio’s Sarah Vasey (1:08.12) who posted a new best time from lane two.
Champion from the 200m event, Molly Renshaw (National Centre, Loughborough) took the remaining podium spot in 1:08.68.
In the Girls Junior 100m Butterfly final, City of Birmingham’s Caitlin Hubbard smashed her lifetime best from the morning to take the win in 1:01.85, ahead of Newcastle Swim Team’s Emily Large (1:02.64) and Doncaster Dartes’ Laura Brookes (1:05.58).
Winner of the 200m Butterfly and 400m Freestyle earlier in the week Holly Hibbott had to settle for a shared podium in the Women’s Junior 100m Butterfly final as Plymouth Leander’s Laura Stephens touched in 1:00.98 for joint first.
Tazmin Pugh earned third in 1:01.54 – slicing 0.06 off her previous best.
A photo finish in the Boy’s Junior 50m Freestyle final saw Perth City’s Scott McLay (23.84) clinch the title over Elliot Clogg (Co Sheffield) and William Cole (Soundwell SC) in 24.23 and 24.26 respectively.
Clear favourite Daniel Speers (Millfield) came out on top in the Men’s Junior 50m Freestyle after hitting a new best of 23.04. Team-mate Samuel Irvine (23.49) fought off Carnegie’s Craig McLean (23.53) for second.
The win came from outside the centre lanes in the Girl’s Junior 50m Freestyle final as City of Liverpool’s Athena Clayson (27.31) saw off City of Leeds swimmer Eleanor Jones (27.32) and Team Ipswich’s Mia Maspers (27.53) for the win.
Plymouth Leander’s sprinters were out in force tonight as Emma England (26.13) flew to the win in the Women’s Junior 50m Freestyle final. Darcy Deakin (Co Sheffield) and Imogen Clark (Derventio) completed the top three in 26.54 and 26.65.
It was the turn of the Individual Medley boys next as they battled it out in the Junior 400m final. Taunton Deane’s Jacob Greenow swam a gutsy final 50m to take the win in 4:29.30 – a five second personal best.
Second place went to Hatfield Nathan Hughes (4:29.67) and third to Thanet swimmer Jamie O’Connor (4:32.47).
In the Men’s Junior 400m Individual Medley, it was a Doncaster Dartes’ one-two as Joe Litchfield (4:25.26) and Jarvis Parkinson (4:26.70) paved the way – both setting over three second lifetime bests.
Third went to Cockermouth’s Luke Greenbank in 4:26.84.
South Ayrshire sisters Katie (1:11.27) and Erin Robertson (1:10.52) showed that talent runs in the family as they took first and third in the Girl’s Junior and Women’s Junior 100m Breaststroke finals respectively.
Guildford City’s Tatiana Belonogoff (1:13.07) held on for second in the Girl’s Junior final ahead of Wirral Metro’s Freya Anderson (1:13.93).
City of Leeds swimmer Layla Black (1:09.46) powered home to a Women’s Junior win with Emma Cain (Millfield) following closely behind for second in 1:10.11.
Clearly a strong suit of the South Ayrshire swimmers, Cameron Muir (1:05.72) claimed the win in the Boy’s Junior 100m Breaststroke final taking the club tally to two wins in one night.
City of Leeds’ Harry Devlin (1:06.46) and Aquae Sulis Performance swimmer Benjamin Lawton (1:06.85) completed the top three.
In the concluding Junior final of the evening, Charlie Attwood made his mark in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke striding to the wall in 1:02.39, from City of Birmingham’s Luke Davies (1:03.19) and Cockermouth’s Edward Baxter (1:04.43).