British Swimming Championships 2022 - Day 1

This evening session will feature four finals across the below events - a Junior Final, a Priority Paris Final, a B Final and the A Final (whose winner will be declared British champion).

Order: W 50 Breaststroke, M 50 Backstroke, W 200 Freestyle, M 400 Freestyle, W 400 Individual Medley and M 100 Breaststroke.

M 100 Breaststroke

Adam Peaty stormed to victory in his first major final since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with a statement performance at the British Swimming Championships.

After taking five months out of the sport and being forced to miss the recent Edinburgh International Swim Meet through illness, the three-time Olympic champion looked like he had never been away, as he won the Men’s 100m Breaststroke gold medal with the second-fastest time in the world this year of 58.58 to round out an action-packed opening day at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge. 

Peaty went a second quicker than his morning heats as he led home his Loughborough National Centre teammates James Wilby ( 59.17) – who produced a strong final 50m – and Gregory Butler (1:00.04), who finished second and third respectively. Adam Chillingworth (Plymouth Lea 1:01.95) came fifth.

Speaking on his performance and moving things on so far from the heats, Peaty said: “This morning was ropey. Three races into my season, it's always going to be like that, no matter whether it's a British Champs or an open meet in the middle of February. For me, it's good progression. It shows the speed is there, it's a little bit harder to get there - I'm usually out in a 26.7, tapered. But that's a real confidence boost for me because this year, it's more of a comeback than a continuation of what I'm doing.

“It's not continuing over - when you have five months off, you see the likes of Michael Phelps having five months off after the Olympics, it's hard to get back to that stage quickly. We've had the delay in the Worlds, so we can now do it in June. I know I can get down to something there if I apply myself right, but I've got nothing to prove now. I said over there, this is bonus territory now - I've won everything there is to be won, as humbly as I can say that.

“I’m so grateful to the team around me that keep me in top shape when we can. Obviously you're going to get a bit of illness, a bit of injury. But I'm happy with where I'm at. I’m happy with my lifestyle, I'm happy with my training. This year, I've got nothing to prove, it's all about Paris.”

And as for the return of spectators – including his family – to the Ponds Forge arena, after a two-year break?

“It's a good place to be. I just want to take as many people on this journey into Paris now as I can. I don't think I could've done that tonight without having my family in the crowd, having all these people in the crowd,” he added. “This is what sport is all about, right? It's not about the time on the clock, it's about the winning, showing you can do it when you're not meant to do it and breaking world records when you can do it! It's very simple for me. This is what it's about, this is what it's always been about.”

Elliot Woodburn (Millfield) was the youngest competitor in the B Final which he won by over half a second in 1:01.98. He is the new British Junior Champion.

Millfield OM William Ellington (UniOfStirl, 1:03.61) placed second in the Priority Paris final behind Oscar Bilbao (Co Hereford, 1:03.21).

Oliver Jones (Poole, 1:04.32) won the Junior race.

W 200 Freestyle

Abbie Wood (1:57.61) and Freya Anderson (1:57.63 ) were involved in a titanic tussle for the Women’s 200m Freestyle crown.

Loughborough National Centre swimmer Wood – who trains under coach David Hemmings – edged out Bath National Centre’s Anderson by an astonishingly-close 0.02s as the former matched the latter’s back-end speed in a stunning finish. Nova Centurion’s Freya Colbert claimed the bronze medal. Wood was third after the first 50m but had taken the lead at the halfway stage and was ahead as they turned for the final 50m.

Anderson appeared to have clawed her way in front with 25m to go but a late surge from Wood, who has already been selected for Birmingham 2022 having reached the 200m Individual Medley final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, saw her take the British title. Millfield's Tamryn Van Selm (1:59.80) finished in fifth place.

European gold medallist Wood said: “I think I've surprised myself there, definitely. I was quite ill over Christmas with glandular fever so, after that, this season was all about getting back down to where I was in Tokyo, and if I do that here, it's a head start from where I was. So I am really, really happy with that. This was a nice warm-up event and it's always something I want to be in the mix with for the relays because I love doing any kind of relay I can get involved in.

“My real aim here was to get top two to be in with a chance of swimming mixed relays or the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle. They all build in to my 200m IM as well. Dave wants me to have a busy programme to replicate what it will be like, because I think the Olympics were a bit of a shock because it was so busy.”

Millfield OM Jess Podger (Loughboro Uni, 2:01.10) came second in the B Final in pursuit of the only sub 2 minute swim of the race from Lucy Hope (1:59.70). Jemima Hall (Bath Univ, 2:01.55) and Holly Hibbott (Bath NC, 2:02.25) placed third and fifth. Finishing fourth, Erin Little (Mount Kelly, 2:01.72) is the new British Junior Champion.

Emily Large (Bath NC, 2:04.02) placed third in the  Priority Paris Final won by Betsy Wizard (Northampton, 2:03.06).

Hollie Widdows (Mt Kelly, 2:02.89) won the Junior Final.

W 400 Individual Medley

Freya Colbert was quickly back in action and set a new 4:41.27 personal best to be crowned British champion in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley – less than an hour after that 200m Freestyle bronze. The Nova Centurion swimmer shaved more than two seconds off her previous best of 4:43.29 to comfortably take the title in what promised to be a close contest. In reality, it was far from the case as Colbert raced clear after the backstroke leg and the chasing pack had no answer to her dominating performance.

Millfield OM Lily Booker (Loughborough National Centre, 4:43.96) was in second spot, just ahead of City of Glasgow’s Katie Shanahan (4:44.01) who was the bronze medallist. Finishing fifth, Leah Schlosshan (Co Leeds 4:49.14) is the new British Junior Champion.

Colbert said: “I'm so happy with that. It's about a two-second PB, and I've been stuck on 4:43 for a while, so I'm really happy to drop. It couldn't have come at a better time either – so I'm very happy and excited about what's to come. I raced a few weeks ago in Edinburgh and that was very good there. I had a good taper, training has all gone very well, everything was pointing in a good direction so I just wanted to come here and prove I can do what I've been hitting in training."

Frances Newe (Birm'ham Uni, 4:52.67) led throughout the B Final.

Georgia Gussey (Co Bristol, 5:02.87) placed sixth in the Priority Paris final won by Phoebe Cooper (Co Sheffield, 4:54.23).

Annabelle Wilkinson (Co Sheffield, 4:56.86) comfortably won the Junior final with the only sub 5 minute swim of the race. 

M 400 Freestyle

Daniel Jervis set a new 3:46.44 personal best and was only 0.10s outside the consideration time for this summer’s World Championships as he cruised to the Men’s 400m Freestyle British title. The Swansea University swimmer stormed clear of the field after 100m and never looked like relinquishing his lead as he finished 2.08 s ahead of runner-up Luke Turley (Bath National Centre, 3:48.52) whose team mate and Millfield OM Kieran Bird (3:48.58) was the bronze medallist. Finishing third, Tyler Melbourne-Smith (Co Liverpool, 3:56.46) is the new British Junior Champion. Another Millfield OM Jakob Goodman (Loughboro Uni, 3:51.86) finished in fourth.

Jervis said: “Sheffield is my favourite pool in the world. I’ve been fortunate to swim all over the world. I've seen some fantastic venues - but there's just something about Sheffield. I don't know if it's because I remember it from when I was younger and it's homely to me, but I love it here. Training has been going so well, but it's been very difficult, as every athlete in the world will say. Huge credit to my coach Adam Baker, because we've really trained hard into this competition and it's going to be a good week.”

Will Ryley (Bath Univ, 3:53.95) led throughout the B Final which also featured a fourth placed swim by Millfield OM Joseph Deighan (Swansea Uni, 3:57.66).

Andrew Bertoli (Co Leicester, 4:01.82) won the Junior Final and Thomas Trebilcock (Plymouth Lea, 3:58.45) the Priority Paris final, 

W 50 Breaststroke

Imogen Clark showed her class as she won the Women’s 50m Breaststroke title in 30.10, the second-fastest swim in the world this year. After a promising heat swim, Clark powered her way down lane four to finish narrowly outside her own British record time of 30.04, which she set in 2018.

Loughborough’s Sarah Vasey (31.02) took the silver medal, with Edinburgh University’s Kara Hanlon ( 31.13) claiming bronze. Sienna Robinson (Co Sheffield, 31.95) came fifth and is the new British Junior Champion.

Derventio swimmer Clark was delighted with her performance and said it felt incredible to be back racing in front of her family and friends. She said: “I'm absolutely chuffed to bits with that swim! I've not been down at that time since 2018 at Europeans. It just feels great to do that here. Sheffield is like my home pool, in front of my family, friends, coaches – it's incredible. It makes such a difference having spectators back here, it really brings up the atmosphere. Sometimes, when it's quiet, you have to find all the internal motivation, whereas having all that noise makes it so much easier to get up for it.”

Millfield OM Anna Morgan (Edinburgh Uni, 32.43) finished fourth and 0.13s behind the Women's Breaststroke B Final winner Megan Morrison (Loughboro Uni).

Millfield's Kirsten Powell (33.75) came eighth in the Junior Final won by Caitlin Lansom (Co Manch Aq) in  33.15.

M 50 Backstroke

Less than half a second had separated the eight swimmers to qualify for the Men’s 50m Backstroke following the morning heats and the final proved to be another thrilling contest.

Loughborough University’s Sebastian Somerset took the British title from lane two in 25.30, edging out the heat’s fastest qualifier Scott Gibson for the gold medal. Edinburgh University’s Gibson touched in 25.45, 0.01 ahead of the bronze medallist Liam White (Swansea University) who was swimming in lane one. Jonathon Adam (Bath NC, 25.68) came seventh. Jonathon Marshall (Fast, 25.84) came eighth and is the new British Junior Champion.

Cameron Brooker (Bath NC, ) placed third in the B Final behind a Uni of Strling 1-2 from Martyn Walton (25.59) and Craig McNally (25.69).

Alexander Painter (Millfield, 26.51) came eighth in the Priority Paris Final won by Alexander Armstrong (SurreyUni SC, 25.90).

There were plenty of familiar names competing in the  Junior final which was won by Archie Evans (Corby, 26.55) with former Millfield swimmer Calvin Fry (Mount Kelly,  26.76) close behind in second. Also competing were Oscar Barlow (TauntonDeane, 27.16) who finished in sixth place, and Conor Cherrington (Millfield).

Abbie Wood, Bath National Centre's Freya Anderson and Millfield's Tamryn Van Selm look to have set up an intriguing Women's 200m Freestyle final as the British Swimming Championships 2022 dived into action at Ponds Forge this morning (Tuesday 5th April). 

With spectators back in the stands, there was cheering from every side of the pool as the first of around 1,500 athletes competing this week began their programmes at British Swimming's flagship domestic meet, three years since the previous in this format. 

Among those were the aforementioned freestyle trio, who were separated by less than three tenths of a second ahead of what should be an eye-catching contest in the evening's A final - one of four finals (A, B, Priority Paris and Junior) being swum for each event. 

Over the longer 400m distance in the men's category, City of Swansea competitor Daniel Jervis - who is coached by Adam Baker - paced himself well to top the morning heats standings. The distance freestyler showed good form for the week ahead with his effort, ahead of Loughborough University's William Bell and Bath National Centre man Luke Turley. 

Amber Keegan impressed in her home pool to qualify fastest for the Women's 400m Individual Medley final. The City of Sheffield swimmer built a good lead after three legs of medley swimming and held on well down the freestyle length to beat Katie Shanahan (City of Glasgow) and Millfield OM Lily Booker (Loughborough National Centre) to lane four for the final. 

In the final event of the morning, Adam Peaty got his British Championship meet underway with a solid heats display in the Men's 100m Breaststroke. In the event that has brought him a pair of Olympic titles, the Mel Marshall-coached man did what he needed to do secure the centre berth later in the day. James Wilby looked good to finish just shy of Peaty's time for second fastest on the morning.

The first heats session of the meet began with some sprinting, across the Women's 50m Breaststroke and Men's 50m Backstroke.

Edinburgh University's Scott Gibson got the better of that latter event ahead of the afternoon swims, ensuring himself the centre lane for the A final. In the 50m Breaststroke, meanwhile, Imogen Clark set the pace as the only swimmer under 31 seconds for the heats, the Derventio athlete leading Kara Hanlon (Edinburgh University) and Sarah Vasey (Loughborough National Centre) as the top three through to the finals.

Other result highlights are featured below.

Block A

Order: W 50 Breaststroke, M 50 Backstroke, W 200 Freestyle, M 400 Freestyle, W 400 Individual Medley, M 100 Breaststroke.
 

Block B