GILCHRIST CHALLENGES KITAJIMA AND TAKES RECORDS
Kris Gilchrist spearheaded a British night to remember on
day three of the Japan International with a swim that delivered
a new Commonwealth and British Record, a silver medal and
a very surprised City of Edinburgh swimmer.
Gilchrist was just outside his previous best of 2:12.40 in
the morning heats of the Men's 200m Breaststroke but demolished
it in tonight's final by two seconds as he chased down Japan's
golden boy and favourite Kosuke Kitajima.
Olympic and World Champion Kitajima was pushed through all
200m of the event and at the end Gilchrist could have overhauled
the Japanese breaststroke legend if he had pushed for the
finish a little sooner.
Kitajima touched in 2:10.02 to take the gold from Gilchrist
in 2:10.32 with the silver and Vladislav Polyakov of the Ukraine
grabbed the bronze in 2:12.29.
"I can't believe it. I knew I was swimming fast but
to get to the touch and see just how fast that was was a big
shock," said Gilchrist. "I thought maybe it was
a 2:11.00 plus swim but when I saw 2:10.32 I just couldn't
believe it."
Gilchrist bettered the previous British Record of former
club team mate Ian Edmond, whose time of 2:10.69 had stood
since 2003, and also bettered Australian Jim Piper's Commonwealth
Record of 2:10.51 from 2006.
"Coming in I thought I could get a new personal best
but to take out my friend's British Record as well as the
Commonwealth standard at the same time is just unbelievable,"
said Gilchrist.
"I've been looking at the possibility of a 2:10 swim
for a long time with my coach Fred Vergnoux but to finally
do it and to do it by such a margin is really something.
"I trained with Ian for 18months and the record was
the one remaining that I hadn't managed to take from him.
It's so nice to be able to claim it now, when I see him we'll
have a laugh about it but I know he'll be delighted for me."
Britain's account for the Japan International now stands
at seven medals with one day to go and day three saw a further
three British swimmers take to the podium.
Lincoln Vulcan Lizzie Simmonds took over a second off her
personal best time as she swam to a silver medal in the Women's
200m Backstroke.
The teenager is now within touching distance of the British
Record after finishing in 2:09.52 behind Kirsty Coventry of
Zimbabwe who swam most the of the event under World Record
pace.
Pulled along by Coventry's record attempt, Simmonds showed
her obvious potential to secure her first senior international
medal. Gold went to Coventry in 2:06.83 and Japan's Reiko
Nakamura was pushed out into the bronze medal at the end in
2:09.91.
"I really had no idea how I was going to swim but to
go that fast and win a major international medal is just amazing,"
said Simmonds.
"I've had a busy few weeks which started with the European
Junior Championships, saw me go well at the ASA Nationals
and I wasn't sure I could hold that form for a third meet
this week so I'm delighted - and I'm getting faster all of
the time.
"My pacing of the race was much better than it has been
and I'm within site now of that British Record which is a
big draw for me.
"It keeps me pushing myself all of the time, I'm within
a second now and considering the gains I made today hopefully
it will come soon."
Caitlin McClatchey took her third medal of the meet when
she put in a strong performance to take silver in the Women's
200m Freestyle.
Gold went to Bronte Barratt of Australia in 1:57.92, McClatchey
finished with the silver in 1:58:28 and bronze went to Josefin
Lillhage of Sweden in 1:58.59.
"I'd put that one down as a solid performance,"
said McClatchey. "I'm delighted to get among the medals
- that was very important for me here - but the time was slower
than I would have liked.
"I've not felt my best this week and there are things
I need to work upon, such as my second and third 50m, but
to race in what was a very strong field and come out on the
podium is something very positive."
Gregor Tait showed a return to form with bronze in the Men's
200m Backstroke and took another medal for the City of Edinburgh
contingent.
In a tight finish, Tait showed real determination and nerve
as five swimmers went for the three medals.
Japanese swimmers Ryosuke Irie and Tomomi Morita took gold
and silver in 1:57.30 and 1:58.31 respectively while Tait
touched in a season's best 1:58.86 - his fastest swim since
the Commonwealth Games of 2006.
"There's life in the old dog yet it seems," said
28-year-old Tait. "It's the fastest I've been for a long
time and I'm pleased all of the hard work I'm doing is paying
off.
"Out in lane one, I just concentrated on my own race.
I used the lane next to me at times but at the end I just
pushed and fought every metre for the medal in what was a
tight finish.
"I've been in Edinburgh for 10months now and I feel
it's beginning to come together. There's still a long way
to go but I know what I've got to do and the next 12months
will see me do just that."
Jemma Lowe (Borough of Stockton) missed out on the medals
but in her first senior international the teenage swimmer
set a new British Record as she finished fifth in the Women's
100m Butterfly in a time of 58.71.
"That was the type of controlled swim I have been looking
for this week," said Lowe. "I went out steady but
came back strong and to get the British Record is wonderful.
"I've been in competition mode now for a month and I
wasn't sure where this had left me fitness wise but I was
able to draw on something tonight despite racing in a field
with the likes of Lenton and Schipper for the first time in
my career."
British distance Freestyler David Davies (City of Cardiff)
was unable to stay with the Men's 1500m field despite leading
the field up to the 400m mark.
With a limited preparation, the Olympic and World medallist
struggled to stay in touch with the likes of Grant Hackett
(Australia) Mateusz Sawrymowicz (Poland) and Tae Hwan Park
(Korea) and fell back as laps fell away.
Davies finished in sixth place in 15:06.01 with Hackett taking
gold in 14:48.70, silver going to Sawrymowicz in 14:50.73
and Park taking bronze in 14:58.43.
"To be honest that's as much as I could have hoped for.
My preparation has been disjointed and due to various reasons
I simply haven't been able to put in the amount of work I
would have liked," said Davies.
"I need a better background of work behind me to be
up with what was a really world best field. Grant showed his
undoubted class again tonight and, as double Olympic Champion,
he'll be the man to beat in Beijing next year.
"I have every faith in what I'm going to do between
now and the Olympics and I'm aware of the amount of hard work
it's going to take to get there but I'm dedicated, focused
and looking forward to showing what I'm capable of.
"I've looked at the next 12 months and I have planned
the best preparation possible ahead of Beijing. If anything
tonight has motivated me even more, it's a kick up the backside
but I'll put it to good use to ensure I'm ready next year."
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