At the mid way point of the British Swimming Championships 2015 Siobhan-Marie O’Connor and Jazz Carlin secured their second gold medals of the competition with dominant races.
O’Connor led the way throughout the final of the 200m Individual Medley as she claimed her second title of the competition.
At the 100m marker she held a two second lead over the field and she continued to show her strength to extend that to three seconds by the final touch.
O’Connor finished in a time of 2:09.51 and commented: “I am really pleased, the times were a massive challenge, everyone has felt that and it just means that we really have to step it up.
“It was a challenge but I am just very happy to make the team, and hopefully I can now build and improve a bit for the summer.
“That last 50m was really tough, I didn’t feel great but I am happy with that time, I was just aiming to go under 2:10. Ideally it would have been nice to go under my PB, but you are not always at your very best and getting the time was the main thing.”
Silver went to Garioch’s Hannah Miley who touched in 2:11.65 while Aimee Willmott took the bronze medal in 2:13.30.
Carlin was in charge throughout the 800m Freestyle after a strong start and at the half way point she held a three second lead over the field.
She pushed hard through the second half of the race to touch in a time of 8:21.58.
“It’s a tough event,” Carlin said. “I felt quite heavy and I didn’t really feel like I got into my stroke tonight but obviously that’s the time I have come away with.
“I was really happy with yesterday and back-to-back is quote tough. There is a lot to work on but it’s back to Bath to work hard with Dave [McNulty]. I still have the 200m on Saturday. Siobhan is quite far ahead in that event but I will try and keep on her toes there and hopefully we can push each other to a fast time.”
Jessica Thielmann (Derwentside) took silver in 8:32.19 while Camilla Hattersley (City of Glasgow) won bronze in 8:37.99.
Warrender’s Craig McNally put in a storming final 50m of the 200m Backstroke to take the gold medal in a time of 1:57.58.
Throughout the first half of the race Joseph Patching was in control but McNally showed his power to come back at the Plymouth Leander swimmer in the final 50m.
“It was a really tough race out there,” McNally said. “I wanted to make improvements from the heats and get my hand on the wall first.
“I do have mixed emotions though. I am happy to be British Champion again but I’m a bit down about not making the time.
“I just love to race and the final 50 is my favourite part and it’s about pushing through the pain and who can do it out there.”
Patching touched in 1:58.17 for silver with Luke Greenbank (Cockermouth) setting his second Age Group record of the day with a time of 1:58.71.
In one of the closest finals of the evening, Elizabeth Simmonds improved her bronze from last year to take gold in the 100m Backstroke.
She put in an excellent turn to come back on the shoulder of Lauren Quigley (Stockport Metro) and Georgia Davies (National Centre, Loughborough).
Simmonds came back to touch in 1:00.03 and said: “It was all about the race tonight. Obviously it would have been nice to have got that qualifying time but it’s done a lot for my confidence to take the gold tonight.
“I have a day off tomorrow and can then prepare for the 200 on Saturday. The 100m is always a bit of a bonus for me and I would have liked to have gone under the 60 second mark but it was all about sticking to my race plan against a really strong field.”
Quigley took silver in 1:00.16 with Fran Halsall (National Centre, Loughborough) finishing third in 1:00.29.
Perth City’s Stephen Milne looked dominant through the 1500m Freestyle as he carved out a six second lead in the final.
He paced his race well and brought it home in a time of 14:58.25 with Caleb Hughes (National Centre, Loughborough) taking silver in 15:04.76.
“It’s about 20 seconds faster than what I did this time last year so I’m happy with how I did,” Milne said. “I was just swimming my own race and thinking about my own tactics so I wasn’t that aware of what was going on behind me.
“I wasn’t thinking about the other competitors very much, it was all about just pushing myself along. I’m completely shattered and happy with how I went – bit by bit I’m improving so that’s all I can ask for.
“I’m doing my best in training and working as hard as I can building towards Rio, that’s what we’re all trying to do. I’m just going to focus on myself, do my best in training and see what happens.”
Bronze was won by Jay Lelliott (Bath University) in 15:09.51.
In the Junior final of the 200m Individual Medley Rebecca Sutton (Bridgend County) swam to victory in a time of 2:19.04. With City of Leeds’ Sophie Hobbah taking second place in 2:19.92 and completing the top three was Ciara Schlosshan (City of Leeds) in 2:21.52.
Abbie Wood (Derventio) won the Junior 200m Individual Medley final with a time of 2:16.21. The 2013 European Youth Olympic Festival gold medallist finished over two seconds ahead of Rebecca Kamau (City of Birmingham) who touched in 2:18.60. Third place was Alicia Wilson (Guildford) who finished in 2:18.78.
Brodie Williams (Millfield) took the victory in the Junior 200m Backstroke final after setting a new personal best time to 2:03.95. Elliot Clogg (City of Sheffield) finished just behind in 2:04.82 with Jacob Greenow (Taunton) taking third place with a time of 2:05.96.
Middlesbrough’s Perry Gardner took the win in the Junior 200m Backstroke with a two second personal best time of 2:02.39. Daniel Cross (Borough of Kirkless) also set a new personal best when he finished in second place in 2:03.26 with Daniel Hall (City of Leeds) touching in 2:05.06.
In the Junior 100m Backstroke Ellinor Southward (Ellesmere College) won in a new personal best of 1:04.02 just ahead of Lisa Boseley (Nova Centurion) in 1:04.45. Alexandra Waller (Heart of Midlothian) finished third in 1:05.25.
City of Derby’s Eleanor Baldwin won the Junior 100m Backstroke in 1:03.55 with Rebecca Sherwin (Team Ipswich) finished second in 1:03.77 while Wirral’s Cassie Wild touched in 1:04.19.