2025 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

2025 AQUATICS GB SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, April 15th – Sunday, April 20th
• Prelims at 9:30am local (4:30am ET)/Finals at 7pm local (2pm ET)
• London Aquatics Centre
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Aquatics GB World Championships Selection Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview
• Draft Entries
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

It’s been a slower-than-anticipated start to the 2025 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships, but there’s the potential for things to pick up in a hurry during the third finals session.

For one thing, the men’s 100 backstroke final goes this evening. The men’s 200 freestyle final has earned its reputation as the “must-see” race at any British Championships, but the men’s 100 backstroke fight has leapt forward in the past year as Oliver Morgan and Jonny Marshall have both reached new heights. Morgan owns the British record from last year’s British Trials for the Olympics and owns a season-best of 52.71 that’s now fifth in the world after a blistering Russian Championships.

Morgan was under the Aquatics GB consideration time with a 53.14, putting him ahead of Matthew Ward (53.60) and fellow Olympian Marshall (53.76). Ward’s effort this morning was a personal best while Marshall, who is fresh off a second-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke at the NCAA Championships, owns a lifetime best of 53.03.

On the women’s side, there’s the potential for Angharad Evans to unleash something special in the 200 breaststroke. She sits over five seconds ahead of the field after prelims with a solid 2:25.36. This certainly won’t be the closest race of the evening, but Evans brings a season-best of 2:22.64 to London, which is just four-hundredths off the fastest time in the world this year.

18-year-old Eva Okaro will look to do similar damage in the women’s 50 freestyle. She’s the SCM world junior record holder after ripping 23.66 for fourth at the Short Course World Championships last December. This morning, Okaro was the only swimmer in the field to break 25 seconds, missing the lifetime best she swam last month by .10 with a 24.80.

The session caps with the men’s 100 freestyle, another exciting races as individual qualification and relay spots are on the line. Olympian and British record holder Matt Richards swam a season-best 48.07 in prelims that secured him lane four for the final. 17-year-old Jacob Mills is right behind him after swimming 48.11 in his first sub-49 second effort. The swim is a new 17-year-old British age-group record and ties the overall British junior record Jacob Whittle set in 2021.

Whittle is in the British Open final as well. It’s a final stacked with Olympians; even without Duncan Scott, there’s Richards, Whittle, Alex Cohoon, Tom Dean, and Jack McMillan.

Women’s 50-Meter Backstroke

Junior Final

• British Record: 27.19 — Kathleen Dawson (2021)
• British Junior Record: 28.02 — Lauren Quigley (2013)

Top 3:

1. Raya Harrand, York/Isabelle Price, Birmingham — 29.52
2. —
3. Halle Harris, Poole — 29.59

We got a tie in the first final of the evening, as York’s Raya Harrand and Birmingham’s Isabelle Price hit the wall together in the junior final of the 50 backstroke. They stopped the clock at 29.52, which marks a lifetime best for both swimmers.

Price hadn’t broken 30 seconds before the meet began. She swam 29.83 this morning to break that barrier for the first time, then logged 29.52 to tie for the win this evening. Harrand came into the meet with a lifetime best 29.89, so this is a substantial drop for her as well.

Multi-Class Para Final

• S3 British Record: 1:59.47 — Ellie Challis (2024)
• S4 British Record: 2:09.32 — Suzanne Warren (2017)
• S5 British Record: 1:46.61 — Tully Kearney (2024)

Top 3:

1. Ellie Challis, Manchester (S3) — 56.25 (863 points)
2. Claire Connon, Cambridge (S4) — 54.11 (713 points)
3. Tully Kearney, Loughborough (S5) — 43.05 (640 points)

Paralympic champion Ellie Challis earned another British title tonight, claiming the win in the multi-class para final of the women’s 50 backstroke. She’s the British record holder in this event and scored 863 points to win the race. As she did this morning, she got under the Aquatics GB consideration time for the 2025 Para World Championships, which will take place in Singapore after the 2025 World Aquatic Championships.

Loughborough’s Tully Kearney touched the wall first in 43.05, earning 640 points for the bronze medal behind Claire Connon‘s 54.11 for 713 points.

British Open Final

• World Record: 26.86 — Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• European Record: 27.10 — Kira Toussaint, Netherlands (2021)
• British Record: 27.19 — Kathleen Dawson (2021)
• 2025 Aquatics GB Worlds Consideration Time: —

Top 3:

1. Lauren Cox, Loughborough — 27.72
2. Blythe Kinsman, Mt. Kelly — 27.93
3. Kathleen Dawson, Stirling — 28.48

After a disappointing 100 backstroke yesterday, Lauren Cox rallied by winning the 50. The 2023 Worlds bronze medalist in this event, Cox charged to the event win in 27.72, .21 seconds ahead of teenager Blythe Kinsman. Cox was slightly off her season-best of 27.60 with the swim.

Kinsman had a breakout swim this morning, blasting a 28.09 to lead the field into the final. She backed that up tonight, dipping under 28 seconds for the first time in her career with a lifetime best 27.93. She was the only swimmer to join Cox under 28 seconds in the final as the British and Scottish record holder Kathleen Dawson earned bronze in 28.48 as she continues her return to racing post-injury.

Men’s 1500-Meter Freestyle

British Open — Fastest Heat

• World Record: 14:30.67 — Bobby Finke, United States (2024)
• European Record: 14:32.80 — Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2022)
• British Record: 14:45.95 — David Davies (2004)
• 2025 Aquatics GB Worlds Consideration Time: 14:54.29

Top 3:

1. Reece Grady, Stockport — 15:21.54
2. Alex Sargeant, Swansea — 15:25.47
3. Luke Hornsey, Edinburgh — 15:26.14

Alex Sargeant led the race for the first 350 meters, but by the 400 mark, the Arizona-State trained Reece Grady inched into the lead. The two swimmers in the middle of the pool had pulled slightly ahead of the rest of the field, though two lanes over from Grady, Luke Hornsey wasn’t letting the pair get too far ahead.

At the halfway mark, Grady held about a 1.3 second lead over Sargeant. Grady continued to extend his lead as the race continued, pulling more than two seconds ahead by the 1000-mark. Hornsey almost completely closed the gap to Sargeant. The Swansea swimmer kicked into gear at the 1000-mark.

It looked for a moment like he may be able to run down Grady, but Grady found another level as well. He closed strong over the final few lengths, once again widening the cap. He stopped the clock at 15:21.54, undercutting his lifetime best by about four-tenths to win his first British title.

Sargeant won the silver in 15:25.47, almost four seconds behind Grady at the final touch. The 19-year-old Hornsey swam a big lifetime best of 15:26.14 to win bronze.

Women’s 200-Meter Breaststroke

Junior Final

• British Record: 2:20.89 — Molly Renshaw (2021)
• British Junior Record: 2:23.82 — Molly Renshaw (2014)

Top 3:

1. Amalie Smith, RTW Monson — 2:28.61
2. Theodora Taylor, Torfaen — 2:29.87
3. Mabli Collyer, Repton — 2:32.38

Team GB will have two swimmers in the 200 breaststroke at this summer’s European Junior Championships. Amalie Smith had an excellent swim in the finals, beating the reigning European Junior silver medalist, Theodora Taylor, by over a second. Smith earned the win 2:28.61, bettering the lifetime best of 2:29.77 that she swam in February.

Taylor took second in 2:29.87, safely under the European Juniors consideration time of 2:30.97. She owns a lifetime best of 2:28.71, which she swam to win that silver medal in Vilnius last summer.

British Open Final

• World Record: 2:17.55 — Evgeniia Chikunova, Russia (2023)
• European Record: 2:17.55 — Evgeniia Chikunova, Russia (2023)
• British Record: 2:20.89 — Molly Renshaw (2021)
• 2025 Aquatics GB Worlds Consideration Time: 2:23.04

Top 3:

1. Angharad Evans, Stirling — 2:21.86 *World Consideration Time*
2. Kara Hanlon, Edinburgh — 2:24.07
3. Sienna Robinson, Loughborough — 2:29.14

Angharad Evans punched her ticket to the 2025 World Championships by swimming a lifetime best 2:21.86 to get well under the qualification time for Singapore. Evans was on Molly Renshaw‘s British record pace for much of the race, turning at the 100-mark in 1:07.95.

She fell off the record pace over the final 50 meters but still hit a lifetime best by about eight-tenths of a second. The time makes her the third British woman to break 2:22 in the event and she moves from fifth to third among British women in the event’s all-time rankings. Evans best event is the 100 breast but she’s making rapid improvements in the 200 breast and now takes over as the fastest swimmer in the world this season.

50 breaststroke winner Kara Hanlon hit a lifetime best in this final as well. She swam a 2:24.07 to earn the silver medal, improving from the 2:24.59 she swam this time last year. She also moves up the event’s all-time ranking, passing Sophie Taylor for seventh.

Men’s 100-Meter Backstroke

Junior Final

• British Record: 52.70 — Oliver Morgan (2024)
• British Junior Record: 54.10 — Matthew Ward (2024)

Top 3:

1. Daniel Ransom, Leeds — 55.30
2. Rio Daodu, Mt. Kelly — 55.91
3. Toby Godsell, Millfield — 56.00

The top three swimmers all cracked the European Juniors consideration time. It was Mt. Kelly’s Rio Daodu who led the race around at the halfway point, splitting 26.69. Daniel Ransom, the top seed in the junior final, was a tenth behind him. Ransom had a strong second 50 meters, splitting 28.5 to get ahead of Daodu and stop the clock first.

Daodu held on for silver in 55.91, .61 seconds behind Ransom’s 55.30.

Multi-Class Para Final

• S8 British Record: 1:04.46 — Oliver Hynd (2016)
• S14 British Record: 58.77 — Mark Tompsett (2025)

Top 3:

1. Mark Tompsett, Bolton Metro (S14) — 58.28 (912 points) S14 European Record
2. William Ellard, Norwich (S14) — 59.48 (858 points)
3. Louis Lawlor, Glasgow (S14) — 1:01.37 (781 points)

Mark Tompsett set his second 100 backstroke S14 European record of the day to win the multi-class para final of the men’s 100 backstroke. Tompsett won bronze in this event at the Paris Paralympic Games. He was out fast tonight, making the turn in 28.06. His Paralympic teammate William Ellard followed four-tenths behind him.

After the fast start, Tompsett held on down the stretch, stopping the clock in 58.28. That chopped .49 seconds off the S14 European record he swam during the prelims. He was well under the Para Worlds Consideration time as was Ellard, who clipped that standard by .01 seconds with a 59.48.

British Open Final

• World Record: 51.60 — Thomas Ceccon, Italy (2022)
• European Record: 51.60 — Thomas Ceccon, Italy (2022)
• British Record: 52.70 — Oliver Morgan (2024)
• 2025 Aquatics GB Worlds Consideration Time: 53.20

Top 3:

1. Ollie Morgan, Birmingham — 52.12 *British Record, Worlds Consideration Time*
2. Jonny Marshall, Carnegie — 53.21
3. Matthew Ward, Bath — 53.52

After a 52.71 in-season a couple of months ago, it seemed clear that Ollie Morgan was on strong form this season after a breakout 2024 where he broke the super-suited British record in the 100 backstroke. He affirmed that this evening, ripping a 52.12 that destroys the British record he swam last season and earns him a ticket to the 2025 World Championships.

Morgan was out fast, turning in 25.24, well under his British record pace. He came back in 26.88, leaving the rest of the field behind. His final time ties David Plummer as the 13th fastest performer in history. He moves back up the world’s season-rankings to second behind only Kliment Kolesnikov.

Jonny Marshall earned the silver medal over a second behind Morgan. He swam a 53.21, which leaves him just a hundredth off the Aquatics GB Worlds Consideration time. The organizing body does have discretionary picks at their disposal, so they will have the option to add Marshall to the Worlds squad later if they choose.

Bath’s Matthew Ward won bronze in 53.52. It was his second lifetime best of the day as he dropped another eight-hundredths from the 53.60 standard he swam this morning.

Women’s 50 Freestyle

Junior Final

• British Record: 23.96 — Francesca Halsall (2014)
• British Junior Record: 24.53 — Francesca Halsall (2009)

Top 3:

1. Annabelle Compton, Wycombe — 25.66
2. Phoebe Cooper, Sheffield — 25.81
3. Meghan Higgs, Millfield — 25.86

Multi-Class Para Final

• S7 British Record: 33.26 — Susannah Rodgers (2016)
• S9 British Record: 29.21 — Louise Watkin (2009)
• S10 British Record: 28.22 — Zara Mullooly (2019)
• S11 British Record: 30.64 — Scarlett Humphrey (2024)
• S12 British Record: 27.01 — Hannah Russell (2016)
• S13 British Record: 28.52 — Rhiannon Henry (2010)

Top 3:

1. Scarlett Humphrey, Northampton (S11) – 30.66 (842 points)
2. Callie-Ann Warrington, RTW Monson (S10) – 28.71 (841 points)
3. Rebecca Redfern, Worcester (S13) – 28.77 (786 points)

Scarlett Humphrey was just two-hundredths off her own 50 freestyle S11 British record tonight. She earned the win by swimming a 30.66, which translated to 842 para points. It was just enough to win her the gold ahead of her Paralympic teammate Callie-Ann Warrington, who earned 841 points after a 28.71 swim of her own.

The entire podium was made up of Paralympians as Rebecca Redfern rounded out the podium, swimming 28.77 to score 786 points.

British Open Final

• World Record: 23.61 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• European Record: 23.61 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• British Record: 23.96 — Francesca Halsall (2014)
• 2025 Aquatics GB Worlds Consideration Time: 24.61

Top 3: