GOLDEN START AT EUROPEAN JUNIORS
Britain won two gold and four silver medals on the first
day of competition at the European Junior Swimming Championships
in Mallorca.
The first gold went to Robbie Renwick (City of Aberdeen)
in the men's 200m freestyle in a new personal best time of
1.49.26. A delighted Renwick who led from the front throughout
the race said " I feel I paced that perfectly. I died
a bit in the last 50 but my aim was to go out hard and hold
on so I feel I did that pretty well. I'm proud to win the
medal."
It was an impressive one two in the women's 200m butterfly
with Borough of Stockton teammates Jessica Dickons and Jemma
Lowe taking gold and silver respectively in 2.10.59 and 2.11.59.
Side by side for the first part of the race Dickons slowly
edged ahead to finish in the top spot.
"I wanted to win that because I came third last year,"
said Dickons.
"My aim has been to win at the European juniors and
this is my best event. The first 100 felt relaxed and then
I picked it up on the third 50 and then tried to max it out
and keep going as fast as I could. I'm very happy. It's the
first time I've had the National anthem played for me, I feel
great."
A very happy Lowe commented "I was really nervous but
I have been more nervous in the past. The music was really
good and it was great to walk out with Jess."
"It seemed like we were held on the blocks for ages
and you just want to get going in a race like this, but once
I dived in it was fine. I tried not to kill myself so I could
give it all I had on the last length.
"I'm really please with my medal. It felt great going
up on the podium together. I thought I might cry at one point.
I've missed my school prom tonight which I was disappointed
about when I found out but it was definitely worth missing
it."
After just a 50m swim down followed by her 200m butterfly
presentation, Dickons was straight back on the blocks for
the 400m individual medley and won her second medal of the
night, this time a silver in 4:51.58 behind Belmonte of Spain
who touched in 4:46.24. Bronze went to Hungary's Dara in 4:53.92.
"The first 50 fly felt relaxed but I started to feel
it on the second. On backstroke I just concentrated on keeping
my stroke rate up, same on the breaststroke, picking up on
the second 50 and then on the front crawl gave it all I had.
Although I beat her (Belmonte) in the heat I did all I could"
Silver medals also went to the Men's 4 x 100m freestyle and
Women's 4 x 200m freestyle relays.
The men's team of David Waslin (Kingston on Hull), Adam Brown
(Hatfield), Grant Turner (Tigersharks) and Robbie Renwick
fought hard to come through the places with each leg snatching
the silver in 3:25.59 from Italy in 3:25.64. Gold went to
Russia in 3:23.63.
The women's relay quartet consisted of Fran Halsall (City
of Liverpool), Natalie Durant (Ealing), Lizzie Simmonds (Lincoln
Vulcans) and Rachael George (Hatfield). The race was only
really ever between Britain and Russia as the two teams went
ahead of the rest of the field. In a very close fought battle
it was Russia who just came out on top winning gold in 8:10.96
with Britain in 8:11.76. Italy took bronze in 8:21.30.
Also contesting a final tonight was Marco Loughran (Guildford
City) in the men's 50m backstroke, who finished in a personal
best time of 26.94 to finish in 5th place.
Asked how it felt the first day of competition had gone,
Head coach Bill Pilczuk said,"Six medals equals the best
first night result for a British Team at the European Juniors,
which was Glasgow in 2003.
"To see two of the girls from the same club take 1 and
2 in the 200 fly was immense and they should be applauded
for that.
"I'm leased with Robbie's 200m free style as he's kick
started the boys team off and helped the relay go well from
an outside lane."
In the men's 400m medley Lewis Smith set a new personal best
of 4:21.25 but just missed a medal coming fourth. Thomas Haffield
finished in 7th.
Britain also had four swimmers successfully move through
the semi-finals to make tomorrow night's finals.
Lizzie Simmonds and Georgia Davies will go second and third
fastest into the 100m backstroke. After setting a new personal
best in the morning heat, Davies lowered her time for a new
Welsh record of 1:03.74 in the semi.
Fran Halsall and Lauren Collins (City of Birmingham) will
go in the 100m freestyle ranked 1st and 4th respectively with
Collins setting a personal best of 57.45.
|
