Day five had several more swimmers record times to land them a spot on the Olympic team, but a surprisingly slow heat of the men’s 100 free failed to automatically qualify any swimmer. Three days still remain for the British Gas Swimming Championships with several more opportunities for fast swimming.
Finals:
Men’s 200 breast
The first event of the night placed two on the roster for the 200 breast. Andrew Willis won gold with the fastest time of the year, 2:09.33. Michael Jamieson put up a qualifying time and the third fastest swim of the year with a time of 2:09.84. Willis and Jamieson finished two seconds ahead of the third place finisher, Kristopher Gilchrist.
Women’s 200 fly
The top ranked swimmer in the event this year, Ellen Gandy, won with a 2:06.01. Her fastest swim this year was last month, swimming a 2:05.95 at a meet in Syndey. Jemma Lowe finished in second place with a 2:06.37, also placing her on the Olympic roster.
Kate Hutchinson, who had a swim-off yesterday for the eighth place spot, finished seventh with a time of 2:13.48.
Men’s 100 free
The heat failed to qualify any of the men for individual spots at the Olympics, falling short of the FINA ‘A’ time of 48.82.
Simon Burnett placed first with a time of 49.33, in second was James Disney-May, 49.48, third place was Craig Gibbons, 49.49, and Adam Brown was fourth with a time of 49.51. According to the British Swimming website, these men will still compile the men’s 4×100 free relay.
Semi-Finals:
Women’s 100 free
The top seed for tomorrow night’s final is Francesca Halsall coming in with 53.83. This event will bring four swimmers for the 4×100 free relay, so the girls will be fighting for a top four finish.
Amy Smith was second after semis with a 54.27. Rounding off the final heat was Emma Wilkins placing eighth at 55.98.
Men’s 200 back
Only two seconds separate the top seed Calum Jarvis and eighth place. Jarvis swam almost three seconds faster than his best time this year. He finished with a 1:59.88 and Chris Walker-Hebbor qualified second for tomorrow’s finals with a time of 2:00.26.
To qualify in this event for the British Olympic team, the top swim tomorrow will have to be faster than 1:58.48.
Women’s 200 breast
Stacey Tadd qualified in the first place position with a time of 2:27.60, ranking her eighth in the world so far this year. A time of 2:26.89 will qualify her for this event. Winning the second semi-final heat was Molly Renshaw, 2:29.39. In third place was Hannah Miley, who won the 200 and 400 I.M. so far this week. She is looking to add another event to her Olympic schedule.
There was a three way tie for seventh place with times of 2:33.61. Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, Emma Bird, and Sophie Taylor swam a swim-off to determine seventh and eighth place for finals tomorrow. O’Connor won with 2:33.61, placing her seventh for tomorrow, and Bird went a 2:34.57 to close out the heat in lane eight.
Men’s 200 I.M.
Leuan Llyod was under the two minute barrier for the first time in this event with a time of 1:59.39, placing him in the first position for tomorrow’s finals. This was the sixth swimmer this year to go under two minutes.
James Goddard will be seated second with a time of 2:00.55 and James Roebuck is third at 2:01.15.
There was a tie for seventh place with Thomas Greenfield and Adam Harrington with times of 2:03.09.
Guest Events:
Women’s 100 free
The top three swimmers were all under 55 seconds. Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark led the way with a time of 54.14. This ties her with Amanda Weir’s for the second fastest swim this year. Germany’s Daniela Schreiber was second, 54.76, and Hannah Wilson of Hong Kong, 54.89, placed third.
Men’s 200 back
Poland’s Radoslaw Kawecki won the guest final with a time of 1:58.34. Kawecki was more than a second faster than South Africa’s Darren Murray, 1:59.85, and two seconds faster than South Africa’s Charl Crous, 2:00.95. All three men make it in the top 25 of the year.
Women’s 200 breast
Denmark’s Rikke Moller Perersen won the heat with a time of 2:25.54. This time places her second so far this year behind America’s Rebecca Soni, who swam a 2:22.73 at the Austin, Texas Grand Prix in January.
Marina Garcia of Spain was second, 2:26.00, and Nadja Higl of Serbia was third, 2:27.38.
Men’s 200 I.M.
Only .15 seconds separated the first place finisher from the third. Markus Deibler of Germany won with a time of 1:59.97, and Markus Rogan of Austria, 2:00.07, and Jan David Schepers of Germany, 2:00.12, rounded off the top three.