BRITISH SWIM SQUAD STRIKES GOLD IN DURBAN
The British swimming team celebrated day three of the IPC
World Championships in Durban with seven gold medals and an
impressive four world records.
Paralympic Champion Gareth Duke opened the session with gold
and a new world record in the SB6 100m Breaststroke. The 20-year-old,
who was out of the water following a kidney transplant at
the start of the year, was on form to knock more than a second
off the previous record held by American Travis Mohr.
Duke touched in 1:27.04 ahead of Mohr who took second spot
in 1:30.17. British team mate Matt Whorwood (Newquay Cormorants)
swam a lifetime best for fifth position in 1:35.60.
"I'm so pleased to get that record," beamed a delighted
Duke. "I had a great swim this morning and I knew I was
on for it this evening if things went to plan. Since my operation
in February I've increased the amount of training I'm doing
and it's been going really well.
"I was looking out for Travis and he was quite close
on the second length but I managed to pull away on the last
25m and take his record."
In the women's event, Swim Swansea team mate Liz Johnson
was also on peak form. Turning 21 years old yesterday she
had a second reason to celebrate when she swam to victory
in the pool. Johnson touched five seconds ahead of her closest
rival in 1:40.83.
"That was my first major final so I'm delighted to win
gold," she said. "I first broke the record this
time last year so it's obviously a good time to race for me.
"I've had my most consistent period of training ever
in the run-up to this event, which I've fitted around my University
Finals. I've got to thank my coach Billy Pye and the staff
in the university business department who have been brilliant
and rearranged things for me so I can continue to train throughout
my course, and also my boyfriend Jody who has written my gym
programme."
Sascha Kindred defended his title in the SB7 100m Breaststroke
and marked his achievement with Britain's third world record
of the evening. Kindred is reaping the benefits of a move
to Leominster swimming club earlier this year and shaved his
previous best to 1:22.77.
"I knew from the heat that I had the speed to do it
tonight," he said. "I had a fast first 50m this
morning and I knew from the training I've been doing that
I would be able to hold on this evening. On the last 25m I
thought 'this is my one opportunity to win gold' and I didn't
give up.
"My current form is down to my coach Emma Patrick who
took me on again at the start of the year and has revitalised
my swimming career. I'm nearly 29 and I should be past it,
but I'm still getting quicker. It just goes to show that if
you're prepared to put the work in there's always room for
improvement."
Danielle Watts picked up her second gold medal of the meet
and thanked the crowd for motivating her to victory. The City
of Oxford swimmer smashed her lifetime best by six seconds
in the S1 200m Freestyle to lower the world record to 6:03.90.
"I'm over the moon," she said. "I've been
working really hard with Eddie McCluskey since we came out
here and that's really made the difference. If it wasn't for
him I wouldn't have done that time today.
"The British supporters here are just amazing too. Their
cheering spurred me on and they can take some of the credit
for my world record."
In the S3 200m Freestyle Kenny Cairns boosted the gold count
for Britain. Despite a chest restriction threatening his form,
the Port Glasgow Otters swimmer swam his second fastest time
ever to take gold in 3:54.28.
"I'm really happy to get that result and another gold
for the team," he said. "From the entry times the
Ukrainian was faster and so I knew he was the only athlete
that could pose a threat. I was watching for him, but after
the first length he wasn't to be seen and he never came back.
"The conditions here have been awful for my breathing
and I was quite nervous about it at the start of the race,
but I got into a rhythm and relaxed a bit. That's my second
quickest time ever so I'm delighted to go that fast under
the circumstances. I'll be up against most of these guys again
in the 100m freestyle, so it's looking good for that event."
In the S5 200m Freestyle Anthony Stephens (Swim Swansea)
beat Paralympic Champion Sebastian Rodriguez of Spain to take
the title in 2:46.19. Stephens put in a powerful final length
to finish two seconds clear of his rival who touched in 2:48.45.
"That was awesome," said Stephens. "I'm a
bit upset not to do a PB but World Champion is World Champion.
I so wanted to beat Sebastian - he's the best S5 around -
and I did.
"Sebastian is a sprinter and he beat me in Athens with
a surprise attack from the start, so I was expecting him to
go out fast. I've got pace on the back end and I know if I
can keep him in my sights I've got a chance. I was ready for
him today and managed to keep with him and take him on the
last 20m."
Britain's final gold of the session came courtesy of the
women's 20-point 4x50m Freestyle team. The quartet of Jane
Stidever (Leicester Penguins), Fran Williamson (Colchester
Phoenix), Johnson and Natalie Jones (Colchester Phoenix) took
the World Championship title in 3:14.53.
A further four silvers pushed Britain's medal total to 11
as more swimmers reaped rewards. Williamson reached the podium
for the second time this week by securing another individual
silver in the S3 200m Freestyle. The Colchester Phoenix beat
Germany's Annke Conradi by one hundredth of a second to touch
in a new British record time of 4:48.35.
"That hurt," said an exhausted Williamson. "I
went in third and thought that would be it for the final so
I'm really happy to get the silver. I wanted it but didn't
think it would be possible."
Jim Anderson (Broxburn) also collected silver over 200m,
finishing second in the S2 classification in 4:58.84. Russia's
Dmitry Kokarev clinched the gold in 4:53.42.
"That was my second fastest swim ever," said Anderson.
"I've not raced against the Russian before this meet
and I'll need to watch out for him in the future."
European records tumbled in the 34-point Medley relays as
both Britain's teams took silver. The boys brigade of David
Hill (Kelly College), Callum Lawson (Nova Centurion), James
Crisp (City of Sheffield) and David Roberts (Swim Swansea)
romped home behind world record-breaking Australians for silver
in 4:28.26 and the women's troupe of Kate Grey (Thornbury),
Claire Cashmore (Kelly College), Rachael Latham (Horwich Leisure
Centre) and Louise Watkin (Kelly College) bagged silver in
5:14.56.
Earlier tonight youngster Watkin took on disability swimming
legend Natalie Du Toit in the final of the S9 100m Freestyle.
Watkin lowered the British record for the second time in one
day to finish a very credible fourth in 1:07.55.
"I lost it on the finish," she said. "I was
so close to the wall but I tried to take another stroke. But
to break the British record twice in one day is just amazing.
I've PB'd in all my races here so far and I hope that continues
for the rest of the meet."
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