The second night of the British Trials meant six more Olympic berths were up for grabs. The first event of the night produced the first national record of the meet for Ellen Gandy. Daniel Sliwinski earned his first trip to the Olympics with a win in the 100 breaststroke. The teenager Craig Benson also claimed a spot of the team with a runner-up finish in the event. The British superstar Rebecca Adlington locked up her return trip to the Games with a textile best in the 400 freestyle.
Finals:
Women’s 100 Fly
In yesterday’s semi-final action Beckenham’s Ellen Gandy just missed the British National record of 57.40. She blasted through the mark in the finals to post the second fastest time of the year (behind Sarah Sjostrom’s 56.79 from yesterday) in 57.25. That time bettered Francesca Halsall’s national record from the 2010 European Championships.
Halsall was second in 57.56, just off her personal best. That time betters her third-ranked time from last month. Both ladies will represent Great Britain in this event at the Olympics as each has met the qualifying standards from British Swimming.
The always dreaded third place went to Jemma Lowe in 58.06. That time bettered her fifth-place time from the Austin Grand Prix a few weeks ago. It also proves the depth of the British ladies in this event. Lowe will look to make the Olympic team in the 200 butterfly later in the week.
Men’s 100 Breast
Preston’s Daniel Sliwinski earned himself a berth on his first Olympic team by posting the fastest time in the world so far this year at 1:00.09. That time was a half second off his British record of 59.55 set during the suit era at the 2009 World Championships. His time from today marks a textile best for him.
Claiming second and a trip to the Olympics was another youngest Craig Benson. The Scotsman posted a time of 1:00.47 to just sneak under the top 16 standard he needed of 1:00.50. The 17 year old moves into third in the world this season with that swim.
Third place went to another Scottish swimmer Michael Jamieson in 1:00.50.
Women’s 400 Free
Rebecca Adlington, the defending Olympic champion, earns a spot on her second Olympic squad by posting the fastest time in the world this year at 4:02.35. The headliner of the British squad will head into the London Olympics with an enormous amount of pressure after her double gold performance four years ago in Beijing. Her time today beat her season best from last year and is a personal best textile time.
Second went to Joanne Jackson in 4:06.47. That time moves her into fourth in the world this season. That time was well off her all-time best mark of 4:00.60 set during the suit era at the 2009 World Championships.
Eleanor Faulkner finished third in 4:07.25 while Jazmin Carlin was fourth in 4:07.56.
Semis:
Men’s 200 Free
Robbie Renwick posted the swiftest time in the semis with a 1:47.25. That time pushes him to fourth in the world at the early part of the season. The 23 year old has already made the Olympic team with his victory yesterday in the 400 freestyle and will look to add the 200 to his event list in tomorrow’s finals.
Right on his heels was the youngest Ieuan Lloyd in 1:47.84. That time is just off the A standard set by FINA but as mentioned yesterday the second place finisher but meet a faster standard set by British Swimming based on the top 16 times in the world last year. The mark Lloyd and others are aiming for is 1:47.37.
Completing the finalists will be Robert Bale (1:48.39), Ross Davenport (1:48:43), Jak Scott (1:48.55), David Carry (1:48.61), Alfie Howes (1:49.41) and Thomas Greenfield (1:49.45). More spots will be up to grabs as a maximum of six can qualify in the 100/200 freestyle for relay purposes.
Women’s 100 Breast
Stockport’s Sophie Allen touched first in 1:08.44 to claim the top spot in tomorrow night’s finals. Allen’s time snuck under the FINA A standard of 1:08.49.
Katie Haywood of Loughboro was just two hundredths behind in second at 1:08.46.
The rest of the final will consist of Kerry Buchan (1:09.16), Stacey Tadd (1:09.18), Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (1:10.11), Rachael Wilson (1:10.17), Sophie Taylor (1:10.39) and Sara Lougher (1:10.59). The finalists will be chasing the top 16 standard of 1:07.90 for a second berth on the Olympic squad.
Men’s 100 Back
Liam Tancock posted the top time in tonight’s semifinals at 54.57. That was just under his swim from preliminaries of 54.72 and it is likely that Tancock is cruising through the early rounds to save his energy for tomorrow night’s finals. The two-time world champion in the 50 backstroke finished sixth in this event four years ago in Beijing but will be a strong contender and crowd favorite this summer.
The second fastest qualifier was Chris Walker-Hebborn in 54.82. His time was just short of his personal best from last year at 54.47 and he will look to best that tomorrow night.
The rest of the finalists will include Ryan Bennett (55.05), Marco Loughran (55.14), Jonathan Carlisle (55.80), Charlie Boldison (56.20), Craig McNally (56.21), and David Gregory (56.63). The standard needed to qualify will be 54.40 for the winner and a 54.08 for the runner-up.
Women’s 100 Back
Elizabeth Simmons took first in semifinal action in a time of 1:00.53. That time moves her into fifth in the world this season and she will look to improve upon that tomorrow night.
Second place went to Georgia Davies in 1:00.79. That time is just shy of her best time of the year of 1:00.67 from the Austin Grand Prix.
World record holder Gemma Spofforth was third in 1:01.19. Her prelim time of 1:00.82 ranks her eighth in the world this season. After a rough few years, Spofforth is looking to earn her second Olympic berth. As most top swimmers do both Spofforth and Simmons look like they cruised through semis to save energy for a strong swim in finals. Davies will look to sneak into the top two as well.