ENGLISH TRIO SET STANDARD ON FINAL NIGHT
Simon Burnett and Chris Cook boosted their programmes for
the Commonwealth Games as both men swam additional qualification
times in Sheffield.
Joanne Jackson also set a qualification time to increase
the number of swimmers to be considered for England selection
to five.
Burnett completed the hat-trick in style tonight as he set
a new British Record to post a qualifying time for the 100m
Freestyle at the Swimfit.com Commonwealth Trials.
The Wycombe District swimmer, who trains alongside South
African Roland Schoeman in the States, lowered the record
he set last night as he collected gold in 48.68. His latest
victory means that he has set qualification times for the
50m, 100m and 200m Freestyle events in Melbourne, all with
new British Record times.
"It was hard," said a breathless Burnett. "I
just wanted to get out there. I think my split was too fast
and my lack of experience showed tonight as I came back three
tenths slower than I did in the semi-final.
"It's been a tough week of racing and over that last
25m I was hurting a lot. I probably went out too fast but
that's the time that I need to go if I'm to improve in the
100m."
Having secured the standards in the 50m and 200m events,
Burnett set his standards high in the 100m Free.
"I'm disappointed as I wanted to go under 48.5 but I
don't think I breathed enough and my legs started to feel
it," he said.
"I've never really concentrated on the event before
and I thought that out of all the British Records it needed
to be broken.
"It's been an unbelievable week and the event I was
most looking forward to swimming was always the 100m as I
really wanted to see what I could do."
In the same event, Chris Cozens of Loughborough University
won silver in 49.97 and Horwich's Anthony Howard set a personal
best to take bronze in 50.03.
City of Newcastle's Cook also built on his strong performances
this week as he topped off an intensive period of racing with
a personal best and Commonwealth qualifying time in the 50m
Breaststroke.
Cook beat British rivals James Gibson (Loughborough University)
and Darren Mew (University of Bath) to the top spot in 27.82.
Gibson was just outside the qualification standard with silver
in 28.14 and Mew bagged the bronze in 28.41.
"I feel like I'm just holding onto the taper, I'm very
tired, but I have another PB," said a worn-out Cook.
"I'm at a totally different place with my swimming. I'm
just enjoying it. It's not life or death and it's keeping
me relaxed.
"You have to believe that everything is not just about
swimming and my performances stem from that.
"I'm going to get a big block of work done and will
be travelling to Australia in September where I'll look at
the 200m event. If I can get down to what I think could be
a winning time then I'll seriously consider going for that
at the Commonwealths."
Durham University Aquatics' Jackson became the final swimmer
to post a qualification time in Sheffield after a strong swim
in the 400m Freestyle. The 18-year-old completed the race
in 4:09.43 ahead of Rebecca Cooke (City of Glasgow) in 4:11.52
and Keri-Anne Payne (Stockport Metro) in 4:15.03.
"That was only just and it seems to be the way I always
qualify - by the narrowest of margins," said Jackson.
"I can forget about it now though and train through to
the Commonwealths after a little break.
"I always knew it was going to be hard tonight. I've
been on a taper now for five weeks and I always really struggle
towards the end, but I wanted it so badly."
David Davies dominated the 400m Freestyle to win gold in
3:50.66. But despite swimming within current British Record
pace for the bulk of the race, a tiring period of competition
has taken it out of the Welshman who finished two seconds
off the required pace.
"I'm desperate to do a very good 400m swim," said
Davies. "I'm gutted I was under record pace for so long
and couldn't bring it back, but it's my second fastest ever
and in the shape I'm in I have to be happy. I know that when
I'm fresher than this I'll be putting in a much quicker time."
University of Bath's Lee Forster won silver in 3:55.39 and
Dean Milwain of Loughborough University took bronze in 3:55.92.
In the women's 100m Freestyle, British Record holder Mel
Marshall (Loughborough University) was unable to post the
qualifying time as she swam for gold in 55.50. City of Liverpool's
Fran Halsall, who at 15 was the youngest swimmer in the field,
picked up silver in 55.90 and Lisa Chapman of Loughborough
University collected bronze in 56.15.
"I wish I'd managed to get the time tonight so I'm not
happy with that," admitted a frustrated Marshall. "It's
been a long tour but I should have qualified.
"I'm going away now for a couple of weeks, but when
I get back I going to be putting in some serious training."
Loughborough University's Liam Tancock, who has already qualified
for Commonwealth consideration over 50m, won gold in the 100m
Backstroke.
The 20-year-old, who has just returned from the World Championships
and heads straight to the World University Games after this
meet, was within the British Record at the half way point
but slowed on the second length to touch home just two tenths
of a second off the time needed for Melbourne in 55.12.
"I really went out for it but just missed the time coming
back," he said. "It was just a few hundredths of
a second shy of my Worlds performance so it shows I kept my
form and I'll been looking to continue at the World Student
Games later this week.
"I'm pretty pleased with that given the circumstances
and I'm looking forward to performing again in Turkey."
University of Bath's Matthew Clay won silver in 55.98 while
British Record holder Gregor Tait (City of Cardiff) took bronze
in 56.08.
In the women's 50m Backstroke, Katy Sexton (Portsmouth Northsea)
was close to the qualification time as she sealed the win
in 29.14. University of Bath's Jo Fargus finished second in
30.16 and 14-year-old Lizzie Simmonds (Lincoln Vulcans) was
third in 30.32.
Ros Brett (Loughborough University) took the honours in the
50m Butterfly as she picked up gold in 27.30. It was a tight
fight for the runners up places as three hundredths of a second
separated places two to four, but Brett's team mate Sarah
Healey got the edge in 27.76 and Nova Centurion's Stephanie
Hill touched home in 27.77.
In the men's 100m Butterfly, 18-year-old Michael Rock (City
of Liverpool) set a new British Age Group Record to secure
gold in 54.26. Loughborough University swimmers Matthew Bowe
and Matt Edwards took silver and bronze in 54.50 and 54.87
respectively.
Two records were broken in a women's 200m Breaststroke final
that saw Scotland's Kerry Buchan of South Aberdeen set a new
personal best for gold in 2:30.02. Debbie Hall (City of Sheffield)
won silver in a new British Age Group Record of 2:30.77 and
Alexandra Warren finished in fourth in a Welsh Record time
of 2:34.28. Millfield's Laura Graham took bronze in 2:33.38.
English swimmers will be get another opportunity to qualify
for the Commonwealth Games squad at the Stage 3 meet in Swansea
at the start of December.
English swimmers who have set times within the Commonwealth
Games selection standards are as follows (team selection to
be confirmed):
Simon Burnett (Wycombe District) - 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle,
200m Freestyle Liam Tancock (Loughborough University) - 50m
Backstroke Rebecca Cooke (City of Glasgow) - 800m Freestyle
Chris Cook (City of Newcastle) - 50m Breaststroke, 100m Breaststroke
Joanne Jackson (Durham University Aquatics) - 400m Freestyle
The ASA Swimfit.com Commonwealth Trials and Youth Championships
take place from 4-9 August at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.
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