SEVENTH HEAVEN FOR DEAN MILWAIN
Commonwealth Games relay gold medallist Dean Milwain moved
to seventh place on the all-time British list with victory
at the Swimming Times ASA National Youth and ASA Championships
at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield. The
19-year-old Loughborough University won the 400 metres freestyle
open final in 3 mins 50.28 seconds. That was more than three
seconds faster than his previous best and took him ahead of
James Salter on the British senior standings. However, it
was just outside a 2007 World Championship qualifying time
of 3.50.21 seconds. "It didn't feel that fast when I
was swimming," said a surprised Milwain. "I certainly
didn't expect to go as quick."
His display rounded off a superb opening day of competition
that yielded a host of PB's and age group records. It was
certainly home sweet home for Max Partridge. The City of Sheffield
teenager twice broke the British Under 16 record for the 100
metres breaststroke. Partridge, coached by Rus Barber, stopped
the clock at 1.04.17 in his heat and then touched home in
1.03.83 in the final.
His time was also a new lifetime best, improving his 1.03.92
when establishing a British Under 15 record in 2005.
"I've not had a great year and I really needed to prove
to myself I could still go fast," enthused "over
the moon" Partridge. "I knew I had got it in me
but it was just a question of whether I could bring it out."
Not to be outdone by clubmate Partridge, Debbie Hall's victory
in the 16/17 100 metres breaststroke was another popular win.
The 17-year-old, third at this year's Commonwealth Games trials,
scored another home success and did so with a new lifetime
best of 1.10.82 compared to her previous highlight of 1.11.13.
Hannah Wilson got the evening off to a flying start with a
British 16/17 age group record in only the second of the 20
finals. The Dave Heathcock coached girl powered home first
in the 100 metres freestyle-an event dominated in recent years
by Britain's Budapest representative, Francesca Halsall-holder
of age group records from Under 13 through to Under 16. Wilson
clocked 56.51 secs with Rachael George, a relay silver medallist
at this year's European Junior Championships, second in 57.89
secs.
The men's 50 metres butterfly semi-finals produced a Welsh
senior record for holder Owen Morgan and an age group best
for 16-year-old James Doolan from the City of Salford club.
Morgan, 22, and fourth on the all time British list, clocked
24.35 compared to last year's best of 24.42. Doolan also made
the final with his excellent swim of 25.29 seconds. Ceri Unwin,
runner-up at last year's European Youth Olympic Festival,
was the fastest girl in the 14/15's 400 m individual medley
final by more than four seconds based on pb's. However, approaching
the final touch the British Under 14 record holder, only sixth
in the early stages, wasn't even guaranteed to take the title.
Pushed all the way by Derventio's Emma Smithurst, 15-year-old
Unwin from the Hatfield Club held on for a 4.53.91 victory.
Both Smithurst-just two hundredths of a second behind-and
third placed Sophie Allen from Lincoln Vulcans achieved lifetime
bests.
Scott Houston's final National outing at Under 17/18 level
resulted in the 2004 European Junior silver medallist from
Stirling Swim beating Welsh rival Marco Loughran to the 100
metres backstroke gold. The six-day championships also include
multi discipline events and Robert Welbourn was one of the
hottest favourites on the first night of finals. The 29-year-old
from Market Deeping didn't disappoint. Welbourn, a gold and
silver medallist at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, duly
won the men's MD 400 metres freestyle title. However, the
Lincoln Vulcans star's winning time of 4.25.47 was pedestrian
compared to his European record of 4.16.60.
Welsh wonder Rhiannon Henry claimed the women's equivalent
race and broke her own British record for good measure. The
29-year-old Swansea Performance swimmer clocked 4.43.87 for
a points equivalent of 935. Natalie Jones from Colchester
finished second and Stockport Metros, Natalie Massey, third.
Not to be outdone Kenny Cairns smashed his own British S3
record by more than nine seconds in the MD 200 freestyle.
The 48-year-old Scot now has a 3.50.69 time to take to the
World Championships in South Africa this December.
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