Cool Colbert powers under Worlds qualifying time on first day

On a strong opening evening of finals at Ponds Forge, the medley duo went head-to-head in a thrilling contest, with the butterfly leg going the way of Shanahan – the University of Stirling swimmer edging out Colbert as the pair were already creating a sizeable lead over the rest of the field.

Colbert made her move on the breaststroke leg, the Loughborough Performance Centre swimmer matching Shanahan stroke-for-stroke, before a rapid breaststroke pullout at the 250 metre turn gave Colbert a half-a-bodylength lead heading into the last 100 metres.

The lead was maintained by Colbert, with the pair eventually settling into their positions as the 19-year-old took the British title with a  huge personal best time of 4:35.50, booking her place on the World Aquatics Championship team for Fukuoka in the process after going inside the selection time - while Shanahan's own new PB of 4:36.74 put her under the consideration mark. City of Leeds' Leah Schlosshan - a European Junior champion over half the distance - picked up bronze.

Colbert was pleasantly surprised with her performance when speaking after the race.

“It was a lot faster than I was maybe expecting. I set my sights quite high, I was hoping for 4:37-low, but I've done a lot of work with Dave [Hemmings], we've been to altitude and my technique has really improved, so I just really wanted to get in there and see what I can do - and I'm over the moon with that," she said.

“It was so cold out at altitude camp, it was -13 in the mornings, while the Bath group and Mel's group were out in Australia and we were in the snow! But I bonded with the girls really well out there, I did a lot of work with Katie, we're so close, and so for us to both swim really big PBs, I'm thrilled and thrilled to go back out to altitude with her and everything else we've got this summer.

“I knew I swam really well last year, and I wanted to try to top it and keep the momentum going into Paris. I couldn't really have asked for more, I've done everything I wanted to so I'm just looking forward to seeing what I can do for the rest of the week.”

Freya Anderson had an outstanding swim of her own as she took the first British title of the meet in an Olympic event in strong fashion – touching inside the consideration time for World Championships and threatening the qualification time and British record.

It was not without tension, as the Bath Performance Centre athlete had Loughborough Performance Centre’s Abbie Wood to fend off – the latter swimmer almost levelling up the contest with 50 metres to go.

It wasn’t to be for Wood though, as Anderson turned up the pace where she wound it down in the heats to touch in a new personal best time of 1:55.89 and claim the gold.

Wood did enough to touch just over a behind with a good performance of her own, and University of Stirling’s Lucy Hope rounded off the top three as she claimed bronze.

After going faster than the time that won her a silver medal at the European Aquatics Championships last year, Anderson was hopeful for the competitions to come as she looks to make the next step to an individual world medal this summer.

“It felt really good. I think this season is the first time I can say I've done a full block of training, so it's nice to see it's paying off," said the David McNulty-coached athlete.

“It felt really good tonight, everything clicked, and hopefully I can get back training and get that time further down. I've not really been pleased with a swim for quite a while, so it's good to finally get under that 1:56 and it's great to see the depths of the girls too. I'm buzzing, nice feeling!

“Last year, I couldn't even win the 200m, so I really wanted to get that back. It's amazing that the girls are going so fast, it's really good for our relays.”       

James Wilby came out on top following a three-way battle for the British title in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke between himself, Archie Goodburn and Greg Butler.

Edinburgh University’s Goodburn qualified ahead of the pair following the heats, as all three athletes improved on their times. The Loughborough Performance Centre pair of Butler and Wilby lagged behind Goodburn following the pullouts – the 2001-born athlete making the most of the underwater phase.

That did not stop Wilby from taking a slender lead at the halfway point, with the two other athletes hot on his tail. A late charge from Butler was the most notable move of the race – as he left it down to a photo-finish with all three athletes in with a chance at the gold.

The finish showed the story of the race, as Wilby held strong to get the touch just ahead of Butler and Goodburn, who took silver and bronze respectively.

The Olympic medallist reflected on his performance following the race, as he moves on to the other breaststroke events later in the week.

“I'm pretty happy with that. It's the win - as I said straight after the race, I'm a little disappointed with the time. I've been pushing on quite well in training, with my coach Dave [Hemmings], our whole squad, it has just been on it. I definitely thought I had more today, but a win's a win, I'll take that and look forward to the 50m tomorrow and the 200m on Friday, keep moving forward and hope to put the best times that I can this week," he said.

"The balance between the 100m and 200m is really challenging. Historically, there have only ever been a few key players who have mastered doing both really well.

"At the moment, the training is looking a little balanced, but that's purely because in 2019, when I had a really good year, we found that when focusing on the 100m and prioritising that in terms of progressing it on for the individual and the relay, the 200m work really compliments that back 50m, so it can go hand in hand, but it's just finding that balance and you don't really know that until you reach the end of the week and look back and say, 'oh yeah, we found the right balance'."

Kara Hanlon took the opening British title of the 2023 British Swimming Championships as she got the better of the field in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke.

The University of Edinburgh athlete started with the field, keeping on the tail of Derventio Excel’s Imogen Clark throughout the length of the race before ultimately taking the victory after a disqualification for Clark.

It was a close battle for the other medal positions, with Sienna Robinson (City of Sheffield) and Angharad Evans (West Suffolk) doing enough to edge out the rest of the competition to take silver and bronze respectively – the Sheffield fans in attendance audibly ecstatic at Robinson’s achievement.

University of Birmingham’s Oliver Morgan took his first ever open British title as he got the better of a stacked field to win gold in the Men’s 50m Backstroke.

It was a tight race throughout the length; the field all swimming in a line with no one showing signs of slowing. However, there was a clear winner at the end of the race as Morgan upped the stroke rate into the final 10 metres before a perfect lunge for the wall gave him the British title – and he gave the spectators a spectacular celebration.

It was not just a solid performance for Morgan, though, as both Sebastian Somerset (Loughborough University) and Cameron Brooker (Bath Performance Centre) threatened the winner with improved swims from heats to finals of their own to take silver and bronze respectively.

“It's fantastic. I've had a rollercoaster 18 months or so, so to get that title, it means a lot. When I was a junior, I only really made British Champs when I was 16, I was training three times a week, doing other sports and swimming wasn't really a main priority. But since moving to Birmingham Uni, I've dedicated my life to it really, so I'm really happy," said Morgan in the aftermath.

Bath Performance Centre’s Luke Turley was involved in one of the most tense finishes of the night on his way to the Men's 400m Freestyle title, as a late challenge by his teammate Kieran Bird ultimately saw Bird run out of metres, the pair taking gold and silver respectively.

Turley’s gameplan was clear, as he shot out of the blocks to take a body length lead over Bird as the race reached the halfway stage.

The race then came alive with 100 metres to go – a charge from Bird bringing the gap down to a negligible distance. Turley then also upped his pace to keep his hands on the title, which proved fruitful for the 2000-born athlete as he held on to the gold medal.

Loughborough Performance Centre’s Charlie Hutchinson finished a few seconds behind the pair with a solid performance of his own to take the bronze.

"Those last few metres, it was hurting quite a lot - but you just have to hold on, towards the finish, it's just hold on for dear life. I've normally been quite conservative down the first 200m or so and then I come back quite well, but with the way the world is looking at the moment, you've got to go out a bit faster," said Turley.

“So this season, we've been trying that up-front speed, getting out that first 100m, 200m to set yourself up and then keep building. A few more practices and we might get better at it!

“I wanted a bit quicker, but obviously everyone does. My main focus is the 800m this year, that's coming up later this week, but that was some nice up-front speed to know you've got a little bit more in that first 400m or so to take into the 800m.”

For the full results, as well as information about the coming days, check out our “What’s On?” page.