MILEY MAKES HISTORY IN MANCHESTER
Hannah Miley successfully defended her British 400m Individual
Medley title in Manchester after lowering the British record
by four seconds in the heats.
17-year-old Miley (Garioch), who narrowly missed out on selection
to the World Championship squad, swam a time of 4:40.07 in
last night's British Championship heats, to place her top
16 in the world.
This morning the Scottish swimmer was unable to repeat her
performance of the previous night, but swam the second fastest
time ever in British history to take gold in 4:43.50. French
duo Joanne Andraca and Charlene Neufcoeur finished for silver
and bronze in 4:47.87 and 4:51.99 respectively.
"I'm exhausted after that," said Miley. "I
was hoping to go for 4:39 this morning, as I was so close
last night. But everything happens for a reason and now I
need to sit down with my coach and work out where it went
wrong in that swim.
"Last night was great though. I was so surprised to
do a four-second PB, I didn't realise I was swimming so quickly."
Four events later Miley was back in the pool for the semi
final of the 200m Backstroke where she qualified second fastest
for tomorrow's final in 2:17.81.
In the men's multi-disability (MD) 400m Freestyle, Sheffield's
James Crisp (S9) was close to record-breaking form with a
time of 4:22.67. Swimming alongside S10 swimmer Rob Welbourn
(Lincoln Vulcans), the multi-Paralympian was just seven hundredths
of a second off his best and a new world record.
In an event where medals are awarded to the athletes closest
to their respective category's world record, Swim Swansea's
Dave Roberts (S7) won silver in 5:06.78 and Welbourn claimed
gold in 4:21.28.
"I'm very pleased with that swim," said Crisp.
"I wasn't expecting a time that fast in the morning,
especially as I was out the pool two weeks ago with a virus.
I knew Rob's PB was 10 seconds quicker than mine, so I could
judge my progress and that helped me pace my race.
"The 400m is my number two event really, but after my
performance in Durban and again today, it's one I can concentrate
on for Beijing."
In the men's 400m Freestyle, Dean Milwain (Loughborough University)
was off his best but kept ahead of the pack to touch home
for gold in 3:52.39. With his main British rivals in competition
in Melbourne, visitors Anthony Pannier and Guy-Noel Schmitt
(both France) took the remaining podium spots with times of
3:54.26 and 3:56.13.
"That was a disappointing swim for me," said Milwain.
"I expected to go faster and was aiming to go under 3:50.
I felt good in the heat but I wasn't too good this morning
and my legs went early on. It was a tough swim this morning,
but I'm usually good first thing and I was up early and prepared
well so I can't blame the morning finals.
"I swim my own race so it didn't matter that the other
guys are at the World Championships - I swam well last summer
when they were at the Europeans. It was just hard getting
up for it this morning. I'll have to give it my all in the
200m now and I've got a few days to think about that."
In the women's 50m Butterfly, 15-year-old Ellen Gandy (Beckenham)
surprised herself to take gold ahead of Welsh Commonwealth
swimmer Jemma Lowe (Borough of Stockton). Gandy sped home
in a new personal best time of 27.87 ahead of Louise Pate
of Heart of Midlothian in 27.92 and Lowe in 28.16. "I
was not expecting to PB at all," said a shocked Gandy.
"The 50m Fly is a fun event for me and I just enjoy it,
so I'm pretty surprised with the results. I quite like swimming
in the morning and that result has definitely made me feel
better for the rest of the week."
In the women's MD 400m Freestyle, former open water swimmer
Heather Frederickson (S6) took the honours, finishing closest
of the group to her classification's world record with a time
of 5:54.31.
For the Eccles swimmer, who transferred to the pool after
an accident left her without muscle control in the right side
of her body, the 400m event was a welcome break from the 5k,
10k and 25k events she previously endured.
"I'm pleased with the time even though it was two seconds
off my PB," she said. "It's only my third race over
400m and I've only been in disability swimming for two years.
My training's going well and I've still got more to give.
"The pool events are a change from racing up to 25k,
but I'm really enjoying it. Swimming is what I've always wanted
to do and I want to show people that being involved in an
accident doesn't stop you achieving your dreams."
In the same event, Eleanor Simmonds (S6) of Boldmere sealed
silver in 6:17.75 and Colchester Phoenix Natalie Jones (S6)
won bronze in 6:27.94.
In yesterday's MD 400m heats, S9 swimmer Louise Watkin (Kelly
College) smashed the British record to lower it by more than
15 seconds to 5:07.79.
In the men's 4x100m Freestyle, Commonwealth medallist Euan
Dale secured Loughborough University's victory alongside teammates
Quentin Lahana, Benjamin Hutchinson and Daniel Coombs. The
quartet finished in 3:24.42 ahead of University of Bath in
3:28.11 and Hatfield in 3:33.72.
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