HALSALL HITS THE TOP SPOT IN HUNGARY
Great Britain upgraded their medals on day two of the European
Junior Championships as the team collected a gold and silver
medal in Budapest.
In a highly competitive field, it required personal best
times from both swimmers in order to reach the podium.
Fran Halsall, who was part of the bronze medal-winning 4x200m
Freestyle team yesterday, won individual gold as she competed
in the 100m Freestyle. The City of Liverpool swimmer put in
a confident display to seal the victory in 55.69 seconds.
The time was a lifetime best and just four-tenths off the
13-year-old championship record set by Franziska Van Almsik
in 1992.
Halsall finished ahead of France's Camille Muffat who took
silver in 55.72 seconds and bronze medallist Ionela Cozma
of Romania who finished in 56.74 seconds.
"I'm totally exhausted after that," admitted a
delighted Halsall. "Hopefully I'll be able to bounce
off it for the 50m Free and the relay. If I can get close
to that time in the relay I'll be really pleased.
"It means a lot to win a medal here. It's a big step
in the right direction for where I want to be. I'm really
happy. I hope it will give the team a high"
After a disappointing first day in the pool, Scotland's Robbie
Renwick was back on form and medalled in the 400m Freestyle.
Renwick swam a Scottish Commonwealth qualification time took
silver in 3:55.18 seconds behind Poland's Mateusz Sawrymowicz
who won in a new championship record time of 3:49.72 seconds.
Vitaly Romanovich took bronze in 5:55.58 seconds.
"That was awesome," said Renwick. "I thought
I was in with a chance and I was going for the gold, but maybe
that was pushing it a bit.
"I'm really pleased after my disappointment yesterday,
but the first race is always the worst. I think I got rid
of my nerves there though.
"I won bronze last year in the 400m so to go one better
is brilliant."
There was more heartache for University of Bath's Stacey
Tadd who finished fourth for the second day in a row. Despite
feeling positive after the heats, Tadd was unable to make
it count in the 200m Breaststroke final and lost out on the
last 25m to finish in 2:33.76 seconds.
"I'm really disappointed with that performance,"
she said. "That's twice in a row now I've missed out
on the medals. I really thought I was in with a chance. I
was working on my stroke rate in the warm-up and I felt good.
"I need to make sure I go into the 100m Breaststroke
tomorrow at the right stroke rate."
Borough of Stockton's Jemma Lowe lowered
her personal best time in all three stages of today's 50m
Butterfly.
The 15-year-old put in a gutsy performance to take more than
three tenths off her personal best with a time of 28.14 seconds.
"That felt good and I felt strong in the water,"
she admitted. "I thought the first 100m was a bit slow
and I felt like I should have finished higher up than I did.
"I would have liked to medal, but I'm really pleased
to have swum another PB. It's given me more confidence to
go into the 100m Fly tomorrow where I think I've got a better
chance than today."
Lincoln Vulcans' Jordan Tomlinson was also in the form of
her life as she slashed her 800m Freestyle personal best time
by more than five seconds. There was slight disappointment
for the 14-year-old whose time of 8:43.27 was only two tenths
of a second off reaching the podium.
"I'm really pleased with that time," she said.
"I've been doing more distance sets and pacing training
back home with my coach Graham Bassi and it's obviously paid
off today.
"I'm glad I got such a good PB. It would have been nice
to medal, but I've still got next year to do it."
Warrington's Katy Whitfield, was just off her previous best
in the same event, finishing seventh in 8:53.90 seconds.
Hollie O'Connor (Kingston Upon Hull) was disheartened after
finishing seventh in 100m Backstroke final in 1:05.21 seconds.
"I wanted to medal so badly," she said. "I
felt really good but in the last 15m I felt my legs going
and I lost my tempo."
The men's 4x200m Freestyle relay team of James Clarke and
James Batley (both Millfield), Chris Alderton (Wear Valley)
and Renwick were also in low spirits with their fifth place
finish in 7:35.12 seconds. The winners Russia set a new championship
record time of 7:25.03 seconds to take gold.
The European Junior Swimming Championships take place
at the Alfred Hajos Pool, Budapest
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