ATHENS - Now with a medal under their belt Great Britain made a positive start to the fifth day of racing with all five swimmers through to the next round and the women’s 4x200m freestyle quartet second fastest qualifiers for tonight’s final.
Britain’s backstrokers swam close to their best times to secure places in the 200m backstroke semis with James Goddard and Gregor Tait dominating the fourth heat.
Goddard, the Commonwealth Champion, clocked 1:57.96 to qualify second fastest just six-hundredths away from his lifetime best.
The 21-year-old, who trains at Stockport Metro alongside last night’s bronze medallist Stephen Parry, said: ”I decided I just had to attack it because big names are going out in the heats here.
“Stephen Parry gave the team a big boost and we needed that medal.”
Tait, 25, who holds the Commonwealth record at the 200m distance, was safely through in fifth place with 1:59.35.
”It’s good when I swim that fast in the heats and I was able to follow James’ pace,” he said. ”We’ve not had a great week so far but it’s good for us to get in and show people what it’s all about.”
Adrian Turner made up for his disastrous start to his Olympics by qualifying 13th fastest for the semis of the 200m individual medley in 2:01.73, just 0.57 off his best time.
”That was a much better performance,” he said. “I was disappointed over 400 but I got over excited and spun my wheels and had nothing left in the second half of the race.
”That’s my fastest morning swim by a mile and it was a real test for me. Now that I’ve got an evening swim I will be stoked.”
He swam in the first race of the Games on Saturday, the 400m individual medley, and came a disappointing 23rd place. Turner will be joined by teammate Robin Francis tonight, who went through in 12th place in 2:01.57.
Francis said: ”I got off to a slow start but I didn’t panic and just went for it. I’m pretty pleased with the time because it’s half a second off my best and hopefully I will go quicker tonight.”
Kirtsy Balfour, 20, a late entry for the women’s 200m breaststroke, qualified for tonight’s semis in 11th fastest position. She made the British team only as a relay swimmer but justified her place in the individual event with a time of 2:29.78.
”I’m very happy with that,” Balfour said. ”It went really well and I felt strong. I wanted to enjoy it and swim under 2:30 and I did, and that’s a good stepping stone.”
Melanie Marshall did not show for her 100m freestyle heat, but she turned out an impressive anchor leg in the 4x200m freestyle relay. She joined veteran Karen Pickering and teenagers Joanne Jackson and Caitlin McClatchey to qualify second fastest behind the US and ahead of Sydney silver medallists Australia in 8:01.77.
”That was fantastic. We all needed to have great swims for individual reasons and we did. I’m particularly proud of Mel, she gave a tough final leg,” said Karen Pickering, who was a member of Britain’s gold medal winning relay team at the 2001 World Championships.
-ENDS-
■ The 2004 Olympic Games take place in Athens, Greece, between August 13 and 29. Swimming runs from August 14 to 21.
For further details contact Martin Petty, British Swimming Communications Officer in the UK on 01509 632237, 07968 411689 or email martin.petty@swimming.org
Or contact Dave Richards, Team GB Swimming Press Attaché in Athens, on +44 77899 26136 or email david.richards@swimming.org
