Britain’s swimmers competing at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester have proven to the world they are a force to be reckoned with just four months out from Beijing by taking seven gold, four silver and three bronze medals.
Heather Frederiksen (City of Salford), Natalie Jones (Colchester Penguins) and Sam Hynd (Nova Centurion) smashed world records on their way to winning their gold medals.
Frederiksen looked dominate throughout the women’s S8 100m Backstroke. She started well and gained the lead just before the turn and turned well within the world record time. She then powered through her final 50m to touch home in a time of 1:17.41 to take both the gold medal and the world record.
“That was just awesome,” Frederiksen said. “I didn’t expect to go out and get that record. Since I equalled it a few weeks ago, my backstroke hasn’t felt strong so throughout that race I just tried to keep my stroke as long as possible and kept calm and it all worked.
“That was a promising performance for me as I am in the middle of hard training and I am really happy to have broken the record. I also expect that Jessica Long (USA) will push me all the way in Beijing.”
Norway’s Mariann Vestbostad took the silver medal in a time of 1:22.07 while bronze was taken by promising American Jessica Long in a time of 1:23.72. Brit Rachael Latham (Bolton Metro) finished in fourth place with a time of 1:25.07.
Natalie Jones took to the water in the women’s S6 200m Individual Medley and put in a personal best performance on her way to the world record.
The Paralympic Champion found herself behind Fuying Jiang as they turned for the first 100m but Jones began closing the gap in the breaststroke lap. As the race entered the final 50m Jones found the power to move into the lead and she pushed hard to finish in the top spot.
Jones claimed the world record and the gold medal in a time of 3:15.72.
“I honestly did not expect to claim that world record,” Jones said. “It is just amazing to have got that time. I just wanted to race hard and wanted to get a PB so to get a world record on top of that is fantastic.
“Fuying Jiang was in front of me and I could see her but I knew she doesn’t have a good freestyle finish so I knew I could take her on the last lap. I got that time in the middle of heavy training which is both pleasing and promising for the rest of the year.”
Fellow Brit Nyree Lewis (Leominster) put in a solid performance as she moved from third to second place in the final 50m to take the silver medal in a time of 3:18.30.
Bronze was won by American Miranda Uhl in a time of 3:18.78. British swimmer Liz Johnson finished in 6th place in a time of 3:25.37.
The men’s S8 400m Freestyle saw Sam Hynd racing against Paralympic champion Xiaofu Wang (China) and the 16-year-old had to put any nerves to one side as he tried to claim his first ever Paralympic World Cup title.
Hynd turned for the first 100m in second place but he showed his strength over the distance to move into the lead at the 200m mark.
The world record holder, Hynd, was never challenged by Wang and he extended his lead to seven seconds at the 300m and he touched home nine seconds ahead of his competitors in a time of 4:31.33. This time not only earned Hynd his first world title but lowered his own world record.
“That was just fantastic,” Hynd said. “I never expected to go that fast. I have been working hard in my training and it just felt great out there today.
“It was a great performance which I am really pleased with. I didn’t expect to come here and take that record but it is a great result for me. I am really happy to win gold at my first World Cup event, it gives me a good standing as I work towards Beijing.”
The women’s S13 100m Butterfly event saw Rhiannon Henry (Swansea Performance) impress on her way to the gold medal.
Henry took the lead early on and looked stronger than her closest rival Prue Watt (Australia) throughout the race. The Brit turned within British record time at the 50m mark and kept her lead in the final 50m as she touched home in a time of 1:07.33.
Henry claimed both the gold medal and a new British record with her strong swim.
“After least night’s swim I didn’t think I would be able to go out an swim that fast,” Henry said. “I found that half way through my swim yesterday I just died and couldn’t keep my pace up.
“But today I just knew I had to push through it and I kept my hips up but I didn’t really know what to expect so I am really pleased with the result.”
Siilver went to Prue Watt in a time of 1:09.09 and Teigan V roosmalen (Australia) took the bronze in 1:10.39. British swimmer Jenny Coughlin finished in sixth place with a time of 1:15.03.
Sascha Kindred was always the favourite for the men’s SM6 200m Individual Medley and he didn’t disappoint the home crowd.
Kindred went out quickly with the desire to defend his title from last year and he turned almost a second in the lead at the 100m mark.
As the athletes entered the breaststroke leg Kindred extended his lead to four seconds and he touched home in a time of 2:45.00 to re-claim his title.
“That was a strong swim for me,” Kindred said. “I wanted to go quicker in front of the home-crowd but I am happy with that result. It was an eight second pb for Yang, so I know he is pushing me all the way in the lead up to Beijing but I am happy to have beaten him.”
The silver medal went to China’s Yuanrun Yang in a time of 2:47.91, while British athlete Matt Whorwood (Newquay Cormorants) took the bronze medal in 2:57.06.
The men’s 50m Freestyle saw Dave Roberts (Swansea Performance) prove his dominance of the event after finishing in a time of 28.45 to take repeat last year’s performance. American Lantz Lamback took the silver in 29.44 while Brit Matthew Walker (Marple) won the bronze in 29.56. Young British athlete Jonathan Fox (Newquay Cormorants) finished in fourth place in 30.54.
James Anderson (Broxburn) claimed the gold medal in the men’s S2 50m Freestyle with an excellent performance that saw him finish in a time of 1:07.01. Silver went to Anderson’s closest international rival Georgios Kapelakis (Greece) in a time of 1:11.22. Bronze was taken by Curtis Lovejoy (USA) in 1:13.59.
The women’s S9 100m Freestyle saw three British athletes come face to face with world famous Natalie DuToit - who has just qualified for the Open Water event at the Olympic Games.
Stephanie Millward (Melksham) found herself in third place behind Du Toit and Australian Annabelle Williams at the first turn.
But it was Louise Watkin (Kelly College) who proved to have the strongest finish of the Brits as she took the silver medal behind Du Toit in a time of 1:06.15. Williams and Millward took joint bronze with 1:06.63. Du Toit finished a whole five seconds ahead of her competitors as she touched in 1:01.32.
The women’s S3 50m Backstroke saw Fran Williamson try to defend her title, she looked strong as the race began but found the power of Germany’s Annke Conradi too much for her as she had to settle for the silver this year with a time of 1:05.18. Conradi touched in 1:04.30 to take gold while bronze was taken by America’s Beth Kolbe in 1:19.32.
Swimming in the last event of the day Britain’s Anthony Stephens (Swansea Performance) was pushed on by the success of his team-mates as he took the lead early on. Brazilian Daniel Dias overtook the Brit at the 150m and extended his lead in the final 50m to steal the gold from Stephens.
Dias touched in 2:40.14 and Stephens finished in 2:43.90. Bronze was claimed by Spain’s Sebastian Rodriguez in 2:50.20.
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British swimmers competing in Manchester are as follows:
James Anderson (Broxburn)
Claire Cashmore (Kelly College)
Emma Cattle (Luton)
James Crisp (City of Sheffield)
Gareth Duke (Swim Swansea)
Jonathan Fox (Newquay Cormorants)
Rhiannon Henry (Swansea Performance)
Sam Hynd (Nova Centurion)
David Hill (Kelly College)
Liz Johnson (Swim Swansea)
Natalie Jones (Colchester Phoenix)
Sascha Kindred (Leominster Kingfisher)
Rachel Latham (Bolton Metro)
Nyree Lewis (Leominster Kingfisher)
David Roberts (Swim Swansea)
Anthony Stephens (Swim Swansea)
Matt Walker (Marple)
Louise Watkin (Kelly College)
Fran Williamson (Colchester Phoenix)
Matt Whorwood (Newquay Cormorants)
The following events are scheduled:
Male:
S2 50m Freestyle.
SM6 200m Individual Medley
SB11 100m Breaststroke
S9 100m Backstroke
S7 50m Freestyle
S5 200m Freestyle
S8 400m Freestyle
Female:
SM6 200m Individual Medley
S8 100m Backstroke
S10 100m Backstroke
S3 50m Backstroke
S9 100m Freestyle
S13 100m Butterfly
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For details of the Paralympic World Cup log onto www.paralympicworldcup.com
For more information contact British Swimming media assistant Gemma Field on 01509 632238, 07917 726431 or email gemma.field@swimming.org
British Swimming is the National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Open Water in Great Britain. It is responsible internationally for the high performance representation of the sport. The members of British Swimming are the three Home Countries national governing bodies of England (Amateur Swimming Association), Scotland (Scottish Amateur Swimming Association) and Wales. (Welsh Amateur Swimming Association) British Swimming seeks to enable its athletes to achieve gold medal success at the Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
www.britishswimming.org
