GOLD MEDALS CLAIMED BY BRITISH TEAM
The British team competing at the World Swimming Championships
(25m) claimed their first gold medals of the competition in
the women's 800m Freestyle and the men's 100m Backstroke.
The women's 800m Freestyle saw Britain's Rebecca Adlington
smash the Commonwealth and European records as she swam just
outside of the world record.
Adlington dominated the race from the beginning as she went
out hungry to carry on her record breaking form from last
week's British Championships (50m).
As the new Commonwealth long-course record holder entered
the final 200m she was turning almost half a second within
world record time.
The home crowd were on their feet as Adlington entered her
final 50m a second ahead of her competitors and still within
world record time.
Adlington finished in a time of 8:08.25 to just miss out
on breaking her first world record but to claim her first
world short-course medal.
"When you are in the pool it's bright and you lose a
sense of the rest of the field," she said. "I wasn't
aware of the time or where I was until the wall. I'm ecstatic
and to get the European record is amazing. The past two weeks
have been unbelievable for me and I'm so excited about the
coming year."
The silver medal went to Australia's Kylie Palmer in 8:12.32
and Spain's Erika Villacija took the bronze in 8:13.93.
Liam Tancock went into the men's 100m Backstroke as the slowest
qualifier but this evening proved that he is a force to be
reckoned with on the world stage after claiming the gold medal
in this evening's final.
Tancock started excellently and carved out an early lead.
He performed his turns impressively and found himself well
within European time as he battled to remain in front through
until the final 25m.
As they entered the final lap, the British record holder
fought off competition from America's Randall Bal and Stanislav
Donets (Russia) as he showed his power through the water to
claim the first gold medal for the British contingent and
smash the European record by almost a second.
The double World Championship bronze medallist, Tancock,
finished to rapturous applause from the home crowd in a time
of 50.14.
"It's great to do it in front of a home crowd,"
Tancock said. "My performances last week have given me
a lot of confidence and to convert that to short course is
pleasing.
"A few people probably weren't expecting that, people
see me as a 50m long course sprinter so to be world champion
in an event that tests all your skills is amazing."
Silver was taken by Bal in a time of 50.42, while the bronze
went to Donets in 50.53.
The men's 4x200m Freestyle relay saw the Great British squad
swimming length for length with Australia as the teams battled
to become world champion.
Robert Renwick opened the race for the British team and he
kept up with the high pace well. Swimming the second leg David
Carry positioned Britain in first place ahead of the Australian
team.
Andrew Hunter continued Britain's high paced race but settled
in behind the Australians and as the crowd got behind the
team as Ross Davenport took over the final leg they looked
like they could claim victory from the Australians.
Davenport swam an excellent leg but touched in second place
in a time of 6:56.52 to take the silver medal.
"I knew it was close and I'd closed down on Kendrick
but he's a great swimmer and I dropped off at the end,"
Davenport said. "The occasion may have caught up with
me but I gave it my all. The last two lengths were very hard
on me but I didn't want to let this great team down."
The gold medal was taken by the Australians in a time of
6:55.65 and bronze was won by Italy in a time of 6:58.39.
The women's 50m Breaststroke final saw Kate Haywood produce
an impressive performance to claim the silver medal in a world
record breaking final.
Haywood went out quickly looking to better her personal best
time that she set in the heats. She positioned herself just
behind America's Jessica Hardy who swam an excellent first
25m.
The European medallist Haywood pushed hard and touched in
a time of 30.35, just behind Hardy who touched in 29.58 -
to claim the gold medal and the new world standard.
Haywood claimed joint silver with Australia's Sarah Katsoulis
who also touched in 30.35.
"I didn't realise I'd got the silver until I looked
at the board for the second time," Haywood said. "I'm
very happy with that but it would have been nice to get that
British record but it's another personal best so that's positive.
"I knew the field was going to go quick and I just wanted
to stay with it but the world record was very special to be
a part of."
Britain's Euan Dale and Thomas Haffield both swam personal
best times in the final of the men's 400m Individual Medley
but failed to make an impact on the medal placing.
Dale struggled at the first turn but moving into the final
50m he increased his pace and moved up to fifth place and
bettered his personal best after finishing in 4:06.97
Haffield suffered from a poor start but swam within his personal
best time by 12 seconds after touching in a time of 4:09.04
and claimed 7th place overall.
The final of the women's 100m Backstroke saw 17-year-old
Elizabeth Simmonds struggle to get into her rhythm against
a world-class field.
Simmonds had an unusually slow start and found herself unable
to make up the distance with her turns and finished in 7th
place in a time of 58.28.
In the men's 100m Breaststroke final, James Gibson found
himself turning at the 50m mark in sixth place. The former
world champion found the power of Igor Burysik too much to
match as Gibson finished in 8th place in a time of 59.38.
This evening's semi-finals saw three British athletes secure
places in four finals after producing some excellent swims.
Mark Foster continued to prove his sprint ability after qualifying
as the fastest athlete for tomorrow's final of the men's 50m
Freestyle after winning his semi-final in a time of 21.32.
"The 50m free is always going to be tight but I felt
good and swam fast," he said. "I feel at home in
a 25m pool and it's where I've enjoyed most of my success.
I'll be hoping to add to that tomorrow when I think I can
go faster."
Also swimming in the semi-finals was Matthew Tutty who finished
in fifth place personal best time of 21.90 but fail to proceed
to the final.
Fran Halsall continued her record breaking form as she lowered
the British record in the women's 100m Freestyle. She set
the new national standard in this morning's heats with a time
of 53.24.
She looked strong throughout her heat and qualified as the
fastest athlete for the final after taking 0.04 seconds off
her new record. She touched home in her semi-final in a time
of 54.20.
"I wanted to get out in front and stay out of those
waves as I'm not as big as some of the other athletes,"
she said. "It's also great to shave a little more off
that British record."
Caitlin McClatchey finished just outside final qualification
with a time of 53.90.
Halsall also made it through to tomorrow's final of the women's
50m Butterfly after showing her sprint strength throughout
the day.
She lowered the British record in this morning's heats after
touching in a time of 26.10. In the semi-final Halsall produced
another fast swim as she qualified for the final in a time
of 26.24.
Jemma Lowe just missed out on a place in the final after
finishing in a time of 26.50.
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