SECOND RECORD FOR WELSH STARLET TYNAN
Welsh starlet Lowri Tynan added another record to her collection
at the Swimming Times ASA National Youth and ASA Championships
at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre.
The 18-year-old Wrexham swimmer won the 100 metres breaststroke,
establishing a new Welsh long course mark of 1.10.68 seconds;
an improvement of just 100 hundredth of a second.
Tynan, who has represented her country at the last two Commonwealth
Games, was a comfortable winner from Debbie Hall (City of
Sheffield).
The men's 50 metres butterfly was an explosive head to head
between the favourites, Owen Morgan (Cranleigh) and City of
Edinburgh's David Leith.
Morgan set a Welsh record of 24.35 seconds in Tuesday's semi-finals.
But it was 26-year-old Leith, a Commonwealth Games semi-finalist
in Melbourne, who took the title.
Leith, one place behind on the British standings, clocked
24.52 secs compared to Morgan's 24.57.
Chris Watkinson entered the all-time top 10 list for 100
metres breaststroke with his win over City of Manchester Aquatics'
Craig Elliot.
Watkinson (Loughborough University), fifth in the British
Championships, touched in 62.49 secs, replacing Richard Madden's
time of 62.51 that had stood since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Christopher Fox, a bronze medallist at last year's European
Youth Festival, clinched the opening final of the evening
in the 15/16s 200 IM. Fox edged out German Jan Schepers
The race also featured swimmers from South Africa and Canada.
Rhiannon Henry (Swansea Performance) claimed medals two and
three of the six day meeting. The 19-year-old added a 100
metres MD butterfly silver and 50 metres MD 50 freestyle bronze
to Monday night's 400 metres gold and British record
Rachael Latham from Bolton Metro amassed 979 points for her
swim of 1.22.82 in the 100 metres butterfly.
There was a one-two for Bolton Metro in the 15/16 100 m freestyle
between Rob Bale and Ryan Bennett. Bale won in a new lifetime
best of 53.01 secs with Bennett also going faster than before
in 53.08 secs.
The first three in the 17/18 100 metres freestyle-Adam Brown
(Hatfield), David Waslin (Kingston upon Hull) and Grant Turner
(Tigersharks) all broke 52 seconds.
The Brits didn't have things all their way. Olivia Halicek
won the Open 100 metres freestyle, fellow Aussie Daniel Arnamnart
took the 100 metres Open backstroke title and a third Wizard
from Oz, Belinda Hocking, claimed the 200 metres backstroke.
Halicek just squeezed home ahead of Ealing's Hannah Wilson
who won the 16/17 title on Monday evening in a British age
group record of 56.51 seconds. Even that time though wouldn't
have got the better of Halicek's 56.41 secs.
Hocking took the honours from Sophie Casson (Carnforth) and
Sarah Owen (Portsmouth N).
Stephanie Hill (Nova Centurion), a member of Scotland's Commonwealth
Games squad, won the Open 50 metres butterfly by one hundredth
of a second from Jemma Lowe (Bo Stockton).
The night rounded off with two exciting relays. In the women's
4x200m freestyle the lead leg for Beckenham, Ellen Gandy set
a new 200m freestyle 14yrs age group record of 2:03.02 but
this wasn't to help the team medal as City of Birmingham and
Ealing battled for the top two spots.
Despite taking the lead on the third leg Birmingham couldn't
hold onto the top spot as Ealing claimed gold in 8:26.64.
Birmingham took the silver in 8:27.12 with Nova Centurion
taking the bronze in 8:28.87.
With Ealings fourth place in 8:29.42 all four teams went
quicker than the 2001 GB team who competed in the 6 Nations
Championships demonstrating just how much the girls 200m has
moved on a club level.
In the men's 4x200m freestyle team it was again a close run
thing but Kingston Upon Hull took the victory in 7:42.83 over
Hatfield in 7:43.45 and Plymouth Leander in 7:46.33.
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