ILLNESS HAMPERS WORLD TITLE DEFENCE FOR SEXTON
World Champion Katy Sexton will have to watch her title go
to someone else tomorrow night after the British swimmer failed
to make the final of the 200m Backstroke following a difficult
12months where illness has hindered preparation.
In 2003 Sexton won gold in Barcelona but problems over the
past year, where she was diagnosed with over-training syndrome,
meant that any challenge to her title in Montreal was unlikely
given her lack of suitable conditioning.
But the Portsmouth Northsea swimmer will take many positives
away from Montreal after she put in one of her fastest ever
heat swims this morning and is beginning to feel like her
former self once again.
Sexton progressed through the heats this morning in eighth
place in 2:13.39 and tonight finished her semi-final in sixth
place, after going out hard, in 2:13.41 for 12th overall.
“The past 12 months have been really tough for me but
I think I showed signs here today that I’m getting back
to where I need to be,” said Sexton.
“Following the Olympics I was diagnosed with over-training
syndrome. My preparation hasn’t been what I would normally
expect so, based on that, achieving this result means I’ve
hit my goals for this summer.
“Realistically I’m just pleased to be here, to
have the opportunity to swim the World Championships again
after such a set back.”
Britain’s Rebecca Cooke showed no ill-feeling from her
efforts the night before in the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle
Relay when she qualified for tomorrow ’s final of the
Women’s 800m Freestyle as fourth fastest.
The City of Glasgow swimmer was second in her heat swim in
8:33.48 just behind Switzerland’s Flavia Rigamonti in
8:33.34. Canadian Brittany Reimer was fastest into the final
in 8:30.96.
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