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GOLDEN NIGHT
FOR BRITISH SWIMMERS
Great Britain's swimmers dominated the pool to collect five
gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the Visa Paralympic
World Cup in Manchester.
Their final tally equals their gold count of last year and
betters it with an extra silver. To top off the meet, Britain's
swimmers also collected a pair of European records and a clutch
of British bests as well as the coveted 4x50m Freestyle title.
After setting a new European Record in the 100m Freestyle
in this morning's heats, Jim Anderson of Broxburn went on
to set a new European mark in the 50m final and win gold.
Anderson, who raced against world record holder and long-term
rival Curtis Lovejoy (USA), touched home in 1:05.09 for his
second record of the day.
"I had no idea I would get the European Record in both
events, it's a real surprise," he beamed. "I've
been training well and the crowd kept me going and pushed
me all the way. It also helped to race against Curtis as I
don't get the chance very often."
Fellow Scot Andrew Lindsay was also on top form and swam
just three hundredths of a second off his world record time
to win gold in the 100m Backstroke in 1:15.24. The Paralympic
Champion, who hasn't tapered for the meet, pulled back his
lead on the last 50m to finish ahead of Argentinean Guillermo
Marro and Japan's Daisuke Ejima, to make it 10 undefeated
in major international competition.
"I knew I could get close to my world record this year,
but I didn't realise it would be so soon," said a delighted
Lindsay. "To be so close with the amount of training
I'm doing at the moment gives me confidence ahead of the World
Championship in December.
"The Argentinean is always strong on the first 50m and
I knew I had to pull it back over the last length."
Breaststroke specialist Sascha Kindred, who was based in
Manchester until earlier this year, put in the performance
of his life to set a new British Record in his third-choice
event, the S6 50m Butterfly. Kindred took seven tenths off
his previous best to win gold in 33.02 seconds, beating world
record holder Igor Plotnikov of Russia.
"I took a second off my best at the British Champs four
weeks ago and I've taken more than half a second off again
today, so I'm really chuffed," he said.
"I was doing a lot of fly training with Colin Hood in
Manchester to help with my individual medley and I've come
on leaps and bounds. I feel a lot more relaxed now and the
racing isn't so much of an effort.
"It's an awesome atmosphere here today and it was great
to perform in front of a home crowd. To beat the Paralympic
Champion is a real achievement and my next aim is to dip below
the 33-second-mark."
Manchester-based Matthew Walker, who set a new world standard
in the 50m Freestyle at the British Championships just last
month, continued his form and reasserted his position as world
number one with gold in 29.01. Walker's British rival Dave
Roberts had to withdraw from the competition through illness.
"The 50m is my event," said Walker. "I'm really
enjoying what I'm doing at the moment and working hard in
the gym and the pool and I'm seeing the rewards. Unfortunately
Dave couldn't be here - I would have liked to have the opportunity
to race him again.
"There were some world class athletes in the pool and
it was great to swim and come out on top. I do those sorts
of times in training, so I knew I could do it in competition.
To have my family and friends watching me swim made it even
better."
In the S9 100m Backstroke, City of Sheffield's James Crisp
put in a valiant performance against world record holder Jarrett
Perry of the USA to finish second in 1:05.48. David Hill (Kelly
College) was just outside his best and finished an impressive
fourth in 1:08.34.
After finishing fourth in the 100m multi-disability Freestyle
with a personal best, Natalie Jones of Colchester Phoenix
set another to win silver in the S6 50m event in 38.27. Swim
Swansea's Liz Johnson also swam a lifetime best to finish
fifth in 41.41 behind British team mate Mhairi Love who came
fourth in 41.13.
"I wasn't sure what to expect coming into the meet -
it's always difficult to know how your competitors are doing,"
explained Jones. "I've worked really hard in the last
few weeks and concentrated on my freestyle and so I'm really
happy to swim a PB and win the bronze.
"It was a real challenge today to perform in a sprint
when my main event, the individual medley, is more of an endurance
race. But my training is obviously paying off and hopefully
it will improve my freestyle in the medley."
Anthony Stephens, who also swam in two events today, set
a new British Record of 1:17.45 in the 100m Freestyle before
winning bronze in the 50m race in 35.57 seconds.
"That's a big confidence boost and a much needed one.
I injured my shoulder after Athens and was out for nine months
so it's been a slow road back to recovery. I'm training in
Swansea now and really enjoying my swimming again. I train
with Gareth Duke who is a class higher but we go at similar
speeds, which is good for training.
"I'm so impressed with the crowd here - I never expected
it to be so big and it's great to have so many people at a
British event."
Claire Cashmore, who narrowly missed out on qualification
for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne earlier this year,
made up for disappointment with bronze and a British Record
in the S9 50m Freestyle. Up against South Africa's Natalie
du Toit, who broke a world record in the same event, Cashmore
swam home in 30.76 seconds. Silver medallist Irina Grazdanova
of Russia set a new European standard of 30.44.
"I was determined to medal here today," said Cashmore.
"I really wanted it and Natalie pushed me along. It was
difficult this morning as I wasn't challenged in the heats
and it was hard, but to swim alongside Natalie is a real inspiration
- one day I hope to beat her. This class is so competitive,
to have a goal like that keeps you going.
"To miss out on Melbourne was probably the worst part
of my swimming career so far, but everything happens for a
reason and it's just brilliant to win bronze here today."
The quartet of Walker, David Hill, Crisp and Lindsay topped
the afternoon off with gold in the 4x50m Freestyle. A storming
performance from Walker set the team up and the men in blue
extended their lead to finish in 1:57.43.
In the women's S8 100m Butterfly, Rachael Latham lowered
her British standard by more than a second to 1:22.60, but
was just off the medals and finished in fourth.
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