MARK FOSTER SECURES SECOND GOLD
Mark Foster's return to the ASA National Championships has
continued to prove successful as he claims his second title
on the fifth day of competition.
The penultimate day also saw two World, two European and
a British record smashed in the pool by MD athletes.
The final of the men's open 50m Freestyle looked to be quite
open with the world class field looking to claim the title.
Foster (Bath Uni) went out hard from the start to claim his
second gold of the competition. He took the title in 22.36
seconds, almost a second ahead of Matthew Tutty - who won
silver in 23.00 seconds and bronze went to Slough Eton's Simon
Burnett in 23.04 seconds.
"I'm impressed with that," Foster said. "I've
swam a couple of events in Europe this year but didn't expect
that kind of time.
"I've not been doing much work so I haven't really rested
for this event. I've been trying to keep in shape but that's
the fastest I've swam in four years and is proably about my
fifth fastest time in what has been a long career. I'm 37
and to swim that fast is pretty amazing.
David Carry took his second gold of the ASA National Championships
(50m) 2007 in the men's open 200m Freestyle.
The Double Commonwealth champion battled against World Championship
team-mates including Ross Davenport and Simon Burnett and
pushed for the lead in the final 50m.
The City of Aberdeen Swim Team swimmer extended his lead
in the final 25m to take the gold medal in a time of 1:48.02,
ahead of Simon Burnett (Slough Eton) - who took the silver
medal in 1:48.85. And bronze went to Loughborough University
swimmer Euan Dale in 1:49.55.
"It's always great to win especially against such a
world class field," said Carry. "I was looking to
go a bit quicker but tonight was about the victory. Becoming
ASA Champion is something I used to dream of so it means a
lot to me.
"I'm off to the US tomorrow and plan to swim faster
there, I had hoped to do it tonight but it will have to wait
now until later in the week."
The 17 - 18 year 200m Backstroke saw Christopher Walker-Hebborn
knock two seconds off his personal best time.
The Team Ipswich swimmer has been training at the Offshore
Centre in Southport, Australia and has completed his hat-trick
of gold medals at the ASA Swim 21 National Youth Championships.
Walker-Hebborn took the lead early on and looked in charge
of the race throughout. He took gold in 2:02.69 which secured
his PB and his new age group record.
Silver was claimed by Xavier Mohammed (Bexley) in 2:05.31
and bronze went to William Purnell (Warrender) in 2:05.42.
"It's been a hard couple of weeks but it seems that
guys from the offshore centre are getting better," said
Walker-Hebborn.
The squad of boys training at the Offshore centre have seen
much success in the ASA National Championsips with most of
them reaching finals and claiming Personal Best times - Christopher
Fox was another Offshore centre athlete that claimed a PB
this evening in the 17 - 18 year 50m Freestyle who took gold
in 23.40 seconds.
"The support of the other boys, coach Chris Nesbit and
everyone in the crowd behind you is just so uplifting,"
Hebborn-Walker continued. "There's so much team spirit
and it drives you on. I couldn't have managed another PB without
it.
"I just wanted to swim fast but the other guys were
pushing and I went for it. It's nice to be back after spending
so long in Australia. I've been working with my home coach
Dave Champion again but I'll be leaving this week for Southport
again."
Emma Bird secured the gold medal in the 16 - 17 year old
200m breaststroke with an impressive final 50m.
The Nova Centurion swimmer touched home in a time of 2:31.36
to take the victory from Charlotte Barnes (Bath Uni) - who
took silver in 2:33.75. Bronze was claimed by Kate Hutchinson
(Co Leeds) who finished in 2:35.32 seconds.
"I've never won gold before at a national championships
so I was delighted with that," Bird said. "I swam
very well in Glasgow at the Scottish Nationals a few weeks
ago so I knew I was swimming fast but to get a Personal Best
is a real bonus.
"I'll have a break now but hopefully I'll be back in
action later in the year for Britain at the European Championships."
The MD events saw two World, two European and a British record
smashed in the pool today.
Danielle Watts (Co Oxford) claimed the first World record
of the day in the women's MD 100m Freestyle final. She touched
in a time of 1:48.02 to claim a massive 1,021 points to secure
gold and the new
"I felt really tired after a long week but I've wanted
to better that record for a long time, to do it here is fantastic.
I will be training hard now to make sure I'm at the Paralympic
Games next year."
Silver was taken by Rhiannon Henry (S13, Swansea Performance)
who finished in 1:02.63 and got 860 points. Bronze was claimed
by Natalie Jones (S6, Colchester) in 1:24.28 to win 775 points.
Eccles Swimmer Heather Frederiksen secured the second World
record in the S6 category in the MD 50m Butterfly. She finished
in a time of 37.47 seconds to win 1,094.
"I'm happy with that. I've been training hard and had
that record in my sights coming into the week. It's been a
hard few days, I've raced a lot and felt quite tired tonight
but to get that record is just brilliant."
Rachael Latham (S8, Bolton Metro) finished in second place
to take the silver in a time of 34.88 seconds. This time also
meant she broke the European Record for the second time today,
having previously taken it in the heats.
Bronze was claimed by Rhiannon Henry (S13, Swansea Performance)
in 36.34 with 955 points.
Sam Hynd (S8, Nova Centurion) secured yet another British
record this evening in the MD 100m Freestyle. He touched home
in 1:03.70 seconds to claim 838 points and the bronze medal.
Gold went to David Roberts (S7, Swansea Performance) with
936 points and silver was taken by Matthew Walker who took
907 points.
"That's another record for me and I'm delighted,"
Said Hynd. "Training has been going very well and I just
wanted to swim fast here. I knew certain records were within
reach and it's great to get them."
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