Max Litchfield had the swim of night three of the British Swimming Championships in Glasgow as he won his first British title in the 400m Individual Medley.
Litchfield laid down his intentions with a strong swim in the morning heats to claim lane four for the final and his race later in the evening did not disappoint.
The City of Sheffield swimmer looked strong from the start of the final but it was at the half-way point of the race that he moved into the lead.
He maintained his position finishing a body length ahead of the field and swimming to a new personal best time of 4:12.05 which sits under the consideration times for the Olympic Games this summer.
“It feels incredible,” Litchfield said. “Coming into this I knew I had the potential to get in there and swim the way I did. I’m really pleased with that and it’s great to come away on top as well.
“I knew I had a good drop to come in my personal best. I’ve had a rough couple of years and I knew I could go faster than what I had done. It was a matter of putting that swim together and that was today.
“Winning was about sticking to my own race plan. I knew this morning that I put a good front 300m together and I knew that I could push that back 100m a bit further and I think I did that well tonight.”
Francesca Halsall claimed her 11th career British title in the 50m Freestyle as she dominated the final to finish a body length ahead of the field.
In the fastest event of the third night of the Championships, the National Centre, Loughborough swimmer controlled the race to claim top spot on the podium.
“The British Championships are hard for me, it’s like me against myself as a time trial,” Halsall said.
“I had done really well. Training has been going fabulous so to come here and only swim that time – I’m quite disappointed to be honest.”
Duncan Scott had all of the Tollcross crowd on their feet as he stole victory from Ben Proud (Plymouth Leander) in the final 15m of the 100m Freestyle final.
Proud turned first but Scott (University of Stirling) swam an excellent final 50m to reach for the wall and claim his first British title for himself.
“I don’t really know what to say to be honest,” Scott said. “I’m absolutely delighted with that swim. It’s my first British title so I am delighted with that too.
“I was really relaxed coming into this. I’m aware it sounds like I don’t care about it but obviously I love this and this is why I swim, to compete against the best in the country but also the world.
“I didn’t feel like I had pressure on me I thought everyone was looking at Ben because he’s been swimming amazing this year which is great and I think we should all watch out for him in the 50m Freestyle.”
World bronze medallist Jazz Carlin kicked off the action in Glasgow with a win in her main event, the 800m Freestyle, as she led the way throughout the 16 laps of the pool.
The National Centre, Bath swimmer was pushed through the race by Camilla Hattersley (City of Glasgow) who took second place behind the British champion.
“When I come here I want to be at my best and obviously get on that Olympic team,” Carlin said. “It’s been a tough couple of weeks and I put a lot of pressure on myself to not miss out on the Olympics.
“I didn’t feel myself when I was racing and when you’re racing a bit tense you start to get a bit heavy and you don’t get into your stroke then. It’s something to discuss with all of the great support staff I have around me and see if I can relax going into the 400.”
Aimee Willmott came from behind in the 200m Butterfly final to take her first gold medal of the British Championships.
The London Aquatics Centre Performance Programme swimmer was in second place as the race entered the final lap of the pool and she pushed hard to reach for the wall first. Willmott was pushed through the final 50m by Swansea Aquatics’ Alys Thomas.
“Being British Champion means a lot,” Willmott said. “After finishing second in the 400m Individual Medley, it wasn’t finishing second I was disappointed with but the time.
“My head wasn’t really in it and I knew I just had to forget about that and refocus knowing I had two other swims and I’m really happy with the result.
“It was a really tough race and the other girls swam amazing but to just get the finish was bittersweet.”
Miles Munro (Bath University) won the Target Tokyo final of the 100m Freestyle after showing his strength through the two lengths of the pool. He was followed by Craig McLean (University of Stirling) and Bradley Lynch (City of Derby)
City of Sheffield’s Elliot Clogg won the Junior final of the 100m Freestyle with a promising race and he was closely followed by Lewis Clough (City of Salford) and Jarvis Parkinson (Doncaster Dartes).
The Target Tokyo final of the 200m Butterfly was won by outsider smoker Isobel Grant (City of Sheffield) from lane one. Grant was in third place coming into the final 50m and took the win with an excellent back end. Tazmin Pugh (Ellesmere College) finished second with Harriet Jones (City of Cardiff) in third.
City of Leeds’ Ciara Schlosshan won the 200m Butterfly Junior final closely followed by Lauren Hodgson (City of Leeds) and Abbie Wood (National Centre Bath).
Doncaster Dartes Joe Litchfield took victory in the Target Tokyo final of the 400m Individual Medley final in a close race. Brodie Williams (Millfield) managed to just touch out Jacob Greenow (Taunton Deane) for second place.
Hatfield’s Nathan Hughes dominated the Junior final of the 400m Individual Medley to take the victory with Thomas Dean (Maidenhead) and Ashley Hogg (City of Manchester Aquatics) finishing in second and third respectively.
Lucy Hope (Edinburgh University) won the Target Tokyo final of the 50m Freestyle ahead of Katie Latham (Thanet) and Anna Pang (Guildford).
In the Junior final of the 50m Freestyle it was Freya Anderson (Ellesmere College) who took the first place and Darcy Deakin (City of Sheffield) took second place with Emma England (Plymouth Leander) securing third.