Duncan Scott and Joe Litchfield lit up the Men’s 200m Individual Medley heats on the first morning of action at the British Swimming Selection Trials in London.
Click HERE to watch every heat and finals swim from the British Swimming Selection Trials
World champion Scott - one of four swimmers already pre-selected to Team GB ahead of the summer’s rescheduled Olympic Games – went under the consideration selection time with a dominant swim in heat two, moments after Loughborough National Centre man Litchfield clocked a brilliant new personal best to place second overall ahead of the evening’s final. There was also a new PB for James McFadzen, while Max Litchfield comfortably booked his place in the final.
In the previous event on Wednesday, Harriet Jones and Laura Stephens both clocked new personal bests of their own to set up a tantalising showdown in the Women’s 100m Butterfly final.
City of Cardiff athlete Jones – who impressed at both recent meets in Manchester – flew well clear of her competition in heat two to beat her lifetime best, before Plymouth Leander’s Laura Stephens held off Keanna Macinnes (University of Stirling) and Alys Thomas (Swansea University) in the third heat to go under her previous best.
All of those athletes will be hoping to push on and go under the Olympic consideration time when they reconvene at the London Aquatics Centre in the evening finals.
Elsewhere, three swimmers went under two minutes in the Women’s 200m Freestyle heats to open this year’s flagship British Swimming meet.
Freya Anderson topped the standings, the David McNulty-coached world medallist followed by Abbie Wood and Millfield’s Tamryn Van Selm, who clocked a personal best ahead of what should be an eye-catching final on Wednesday evening.
Adam Peaty did not take long to make his mark at these unique British Swimming Selection Trials, putting down the fastest Men’s 100m Breaststroke swim in the world this year to lead an impressive set of heats swims. Loughborough National Centre teammate James Wilby put in a powerful opening 50m to place second, with Ross Murdoch going well under his time from March’s meet in Manchester in an effort that promises plenty ahead of the evening session.
European medallist Aimee Willmott put in a controlled display in the second of two Women’s 400m Individual Medley heats as she looks to earn a spot at a third Olympic Games in the summer. Willmott pulled steadily clear of Nova Centurion’s Freya Colbert across the four strokes, with Colbert ultimately placing third in the heats, behind Lily Booker of Millfield – while the returning Hannah Miley will also take her place in the final.
Meanwhile, Daniel Jervis was another to look good at the recent Manchester meets – and the Swansea University man set the pace in the Men’s 400m Freestyle heats here, setting himself up well for an attempt at the Tokyo consideration time. William Bell (Loughborough University) also swam strongly, with Bath National Centre trio Kieran Bird, Luke Turley and Tom Dean all comfortably taking their places in the final.
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