12 August 2018
Quin struts his stuff to European swimming gold
In his lucky boxer shorts Scott Quin delivered rivals a knockout blow to retain his European 100m breaststroke SB14 title in Dublin.
Quin strutted his trademark dance moves on the blocks and swaggered to an eye-catching victory too - just edging out British team-mate Conner Morrison in a time of 1:07.21, while Ukraine’s Vasyl Krainyk completed the podium.
“A great result for me, obviously not my best as I would’ve liked to get a PB. This morning I was a bit nervous, a bit tense but this evening it all came good and I’ve defended my title from two years ago,” Quin told British Swimming.
Quin’s win was followed just minutes later by international newcomer and British team-mate Louise Fiddes, who got her tactics spot on to strike gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke S14.
The 17-year old showed no nerves on her big stage debut as she secured a confident victory over Spanish world record holder Michelle Alonso Morales and team-mate Bethany Firth, who took bronze. Fiddes’s winning time 1:14.17.
“This means everything! All the training, all the work my coaches have put in, it’s all come together. It’s so incredible to do it at my first international,” said Fiddes.
“My coaches told me to enjoy the experience but I still felt some pressure. I was a little nervous before the race but the plan worked out in the end.”
Meanwhile, fellow teenager Megan Richter produced two off the scale swims to claim 200m medley SM8 silver on her senior international debut.
Richter, 17, set a 2:56.73 personal best in the heats and improved it even further when it mattered, her medal-winning time an impressive 2:54.58 as Italy’s Xenia Palazzo took gold.
And it could be the start of a big week, with the newcomer entered in five more events, with a day of rest before Wednesday’s 50m freestyle S8 heats.
Louise Fiddes and British team-mate Bethany Firth after she won her European title
This means everything! All the training, all the work my coaches have put in, it’s all come together. It’s so incredible to do it at my first international.
“I’ve worked so hard for this, all the early mornings and extra training and I’m just so happy it’s paid off and I’ve got a medal,” said Richter.
“I’ve still got the backstroke which is my main event and I’m really looking forward to that.”
Elsewhere, Paralympic champion Ellie Robinson took bronze in the first of her three-pronged medal assault in Dublin.
The 16-year old always knew she was up against it in the women’s 50m freestyle S6 - with Ukrainian team-mates Yelyzaveta Mereshko and Victoria Savtsova both going under the previous world record to take gold and silver respectively.
Robinson held off British team-mate Maisie Summers-Newton to snatch the final step on the podium but knows her main events are to come this weekend.
She is seeking to add the European title to her Paralympic and Commonwealth crowns in Saturday’s 50m butterfly S6.
And she’s also entered in Sunday’s 100m freestyle S6, in which she won bronze at Rio 2016 and is a former world record holder.
Elsewhere, Michael Jones, Jacob Leach, Oliver Hynd and Lewis White finished just outside the medals in fourth in the men’s 4x100m freestyle (34 points).
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