Great Britain’s swimmers finished the 2019 World University Games with a flourish, winning three medals on the final night of action in Naples.
Doubling their medal tally in the space of 15 minutes, the team, representing GB Students, took their total to six, with David Cumberlidge matching the gold won by Alicia Wilson four nights ago. Also leaving Italy with a medal around their necks are Sarah Vasey and Emily Barclay, taking the swimming medal count to six, alongside Gemma McArthur’s diving medal.
After a personal best in the Men’s 100m Freestyle it was clear David Cumberlidge was in the form of his life, improving once again after a good showing at the British Championships in April, but in the 50m event he went one better to bag gold. Typically a fast and furious affair, Edinburgh student Cumberlidge was surprisingly slowest off the blocks, but swam an otherwise flawless race from lane four to take the title in 21.97, his first time inside the 22 second barrier.
After a gutsy swim in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke on Saturday, Sarah Vasey produced a season’s best in the 50m event to secure silver. Lining up in lane five alongside fastest qualifier Alves of Brazil, Vasey swam a great race to challenge her rival the whole way and was rewarded with a trip to the podium.
Completing the full set of medals on the night was Emily Barclay, who in the opening race won bronze. Swimming in the Women’s 50m Freestyle final, Loughborough University’s Barclay acquitted herself well in an extremely close fought race, the top three separated by just 0.07 of a second. As it was though Barclay touched third to secure her first international medal.
Also in action on the final night was Abbie Wood, who finished fourth in the Women’s 400m Freestyle, whilst Mark Szaranek was fifth in the Men’s 400m IM. The previous night Stirling’s Craig Benson had to settle for fifth in the Men’s 50m Breaststroke, having finished sixth in 100m earlier in the week.
Full results from the World University Games can be found here