BRITISH RECORDS FALL AS SWIMMERS SHOW INTENT
Records fell at the World Championships in Melbourne as Britain's
swimmers let their intent be known at the Rod Laver Arena
pool and in doing so ensured they'll be in the hunt for medals
tomorrow'.
Day two of the meet held disappointments for Britain but
these were tempered by impressive performances from the likes
of Liam Tancock and Kirsty Balfour who set new British Records
on their way to making finals.
Tancock (University of Loughborough) had looked good all
day after qualifying second fastest in the morning heats of
the Men's 100m Backstroke. But he was even quicker this evening
to set a new British standard of 53.71 - just 0.10 outside
of the championship record. The previous British time had
stood at 54.42.
But it was the manner in which he won his semi-final that
he will take confidence from. Tancock's semi-final featured
the three fastest backstroke swimmers of all time but he didn't
lose focus and lead from the outset to touch ahead of the
field.
"It was hard work making the semi-finals this morning
but that felt much better tonight and to set another British
Record is a real boost. Everything felt so good," said
Tancock.
"I love coming back to Melbourne, it holds good memories
for me from last year's Commonwealths. We're in a very fast
pool and in my semi-final tonight I faced and beat the three
fastest backstrokers of all time.
"It's brilliant to beat them but the medals are there
to be won tomorrow and not tonight."
Matt Clay (Swansea) also lined-up for Britain in the same
semi-final but could not improve on his heat swim and finished
in 55.32 to miss out on a final place.in 13th.
"I knew I had to go below 55.00 but I couldn't manage
that tonight and I'm gutted," said Clay. "I've felt
good over the last two days coming into the event, this morning
was not as fast as I'd liked but tonight I just couldn't get
it going."
European Champion Kirsty Balfour (City of Edinburgh) and
Kate Haywood (Loughborough University) flew the flag for Britain
in the Women's 100m Breaststroke with both qualifying for
tomorrow's final.
Despite the 100m not being her main event, Balfour did it
in style to set a new British Record of 1:07.67, her own previous
best had stood at 1:07.83, to qualify behind World Record
holder Leisel Jones of Australia in her semi-final.
"I felt I rushed my swim this morning but got it right
when it counted. Tonight was about just staying strong and
going as fast as I could," said Balfour who qualified
fourth overall.
"I couldn't hear where the other girls were but I could
hear the crowd cheering on Leisel (Jones). I always just swim
my own race though and I'm really happy because my main event
is the 200m, for me the 100m is just a bonus."
In the second semi-final, Haywood, who missed a lot of work
through illness earlier in the year, gave her all and with
no expectations qualified in eighth spot in a time of 1:08.49.
"That was a good swim for me. I've missed some training
through illness over the past couple of months so to be in
tomorrow's final is a wonderful achievement. It's just outside
my best and it will be great to have two British girls contesting
the final."
Britain were unable to make it a perfect strike rate from
their evening session swims with Dave Carry (Loughborough
University) narrowly missing out on a place in the final of
the Men's 200m Freestyle on day three of the meet with a ninth
place finish.
Carry did well to guide his way through to the semi-finals
after succumbing to a respiratory virus at his preparation
camp on the Gold Coasty that which kept him out of the water
for 10 days.
He went 1:48.71 to finish ninth overall and was disappointed
not to put himself through with the big guns set to battle
it out for medals tomorrow.
"I went for it but just missed out and I'm devastated,"
said Carry. "To be honest I felt the 10 days I missed
in my preparation. My legs felt tired at the end but to go
so close.
"It's so frustrating to be in that situation. I managed
to pull myself together for the heat swim and I gave it my
all tonight but I'm missing those 10 days and it told.
"The relay is my aim now, I've got some time to get
back to where I was and I'm confident we'll do well. This
British team is so strong and we are so close to doing something
really special here. It was better tonight and it's going
to get better as the meet continues."
Britain's Simon Burnett (Wycombe) failed to make the semi-finals
of the Men's 200m Freestyle when he went out with a time of
1:50.11 during the morning.
"That was very much in the same vein as Budapest last
year," said Burnett. "It wasn't good enough and
I'm really quite baffled as to why. I just don't understand,
after I've put so much work in and didn't even have time off
at Christmas, why I didn't swim to my potential.
"I need to analyse what's gone wrong because something
clearly has. I also need to lift myself because I'm here for
other events such as the 100m Freestyle and 4x200m Relay and
I need to be right for those."
In the Women's 1500m Freestyle Rebecca Cooke (City of Glasgow)
finished the heats in 10th in a time of 16:26.83 and youngster
Lizzie Simmonds (Lincoln Vulcans) went 1:02.87 to finish 24th
in the heats of the Women's 100m Backstroke.
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