2 June 2018

British swimmers enjoy medal clean sweep in Sheffield

British swimmers finished the final day of the World Para Swimming World Series in Sheffield in style as the home nation claimed a clean sweep of the medals in the women’s 200m freestyle.

Tully Kearney (S5, 997) set a new British record of 2:44.73 as she won gold, with Jessica-Jane Applegate (S14, 897) taking silver and Louise Fiddes (S14, 813) completing the podium.

Kearney also added a silver medal to her collection after finishing second to Brazil’s Edenia Garcia in the women’s 50m backstroke, while Andrew Mullen (S5) matched her result in the men’s race.

Elsewhere, Tom Hamer (S14, 979) defended his title in the men’s 200m freestyle, achieving the qualification standard for the World Para-swimming European Championships in the process.

The 19-year-old claimed gold ahead of fellow Brit Jordan Catchpole (S14, 949), who joined him on the podium after finishing in third - adding a bronze to his gold in the men’s 100m backstroke.

“I’m super happy with that swim,” said Hamer. “I was a second down on the qualifying time in the heat so I was a little bit nervous and I’m just glad I hit the time.”

Ellie Simmonds (S6, 884) was unable to add to her bronze medal from Friday in the women’s 400m freestyle, but she finished top Brit ahead of Maisie Summers-Newton (S6, 847).

The final day concluded a successful meet for British swimmers in Sheffield, with home nation swimmers breaking multiple world and national records across the four days.

Alice Tai (S8) continued her climb up the World Para Swimming World Rankings on Saturday, breaking her second world record at the meet in the women’s 100m backstroke.

Quote

I was a second down on the qualifying time in the heat so I was a little bit nervous and I’m just glad I hit the time.

Tom Hamer

The 19-year-old clocked in at 1:08.26 to set a strong score of 1220 points, having delivered a record time of 1:03:06 in the women’s S8 100m freestyle during the event’s opening night.

Great Britain’s Bethany Firth (S14, 968) grabbed silver behind Tai in the 100m backstroke, with Uzbekistan’s Shokshan Toshpulatova (S13, 897) taking bronze.

There was also a dominant victory for newcomer Catchpole (S14, 878), who took gold in the men’s 100m backstroke, while Applegate (S14, 984) secured first in the women’s 100m butterfly.

The latter received two gold medals for her top British and international finish, with Great Britain’s Mullen (S5, 711) also claiming bronze in the men’s 50m butterfly.

Friday saw Paralympic champion Simmonds (S6, 942) return to the pool as she grabbed bronze in the women’s 200m individual medley behind winner Liesette Bruinsma, of Netherlands.

Ellie Simmonds returned to action in Sheffield

Simmonds took a break from the sport after the Rio Games, but beat Summers-Newton (S6) in the event in which she won Paralympic gold in 2012 and 2016.

In doing so, both swimmers were comfortably under the 3:05.57 qualification standard for August’s World Para-swimming European Championships in Dublin.

Hannah Russell (S12, 912) also picked up a bronze medal in the women’s 50m freestyle, with New Zealand’s Paralympic champion Sophie Pascoe taking gold.

Summers-Newton had already claimed a stunning win in the women’s 100m breaststroke, setting a new world record time of 1:33:92, in the first day of four on Thursday.

Her points score of 1,033 also saw her take gold ahead of Uzbekistan’s Fotimakhon Amilova (S13, 999) and fellow Brit Fiddes (S14, 980).

Finally, the British pair of Scott Quin (S14) and Conner Morrison (S14) finished second and third behind Colombia’s three-time Rio Olympic medallist Nelson Crispin in the men’s 100m breaststroke.

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