Aimee Willmott wins fourth Winter Meet gold

In the opening events of the night Aimee Willmott won her fifth medal of the Meet with gold in the 400m IM, while Calum Tait dominated the Men’s 200m Breaststroke.

Day Four Finals: Women’s 400m IM

Commonwealth and European medallist, Aimee Willmott (London Aquatics Centre Performance Programme) won her fifth medal of the Meet, taking 400m IM gold in 4:28.26, an impressive six seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

“I’m happy with that.” said Aimee. “I would have liked to have gone a bit quicker and got a little closer to my PB but given the short turn around we had today between the heats and finals, I am pleased with a season’s best.

“It’s good to replicate this race when you’re tired. I maybe went a little easier this morning than I should have but I wanted to make sure I had enough reserves for tonight.

“I’m still learning about competing on the world stage. It’s a big step, as I learned this past summer, but I have a big advantage training in the Olympic pool which is a daily reminder of why I am working so hard right now!”

World Junior champion in this event, Rosie Rudin (Nova Centurion) posted a new lifetime best of 4:34.44 to take silver ahead of Stockport Metro’s Lucy McKenzie, who also set a PB of 4:34.94 for bronze.

The junior gold medal was won by Ciara Schlosshan (City of Leeds) who finished seventh in a new personal best time of 4:41.75.

There were also lifetime best swims from Newcastle Swim Team’s Emily Large who won junior silver in 4:43.58 and Sophie Hobbah (City of Leeds) who finished in 4:47.70 to claim the junior bronze.

Day Four Finals: Men’s 200m Breaststroke

Calum Tait over-powered the rest of the field in the final of the Men’s 200m Breaststroke, finishing over a body length ahead of the next placed swimmer in a personal best 2:05.42.

After the race, Tait said: “I’m really chuffed with a two second PB. Breaststroke is moving on so fast that if you want to stay anywhere near the top you have to to keep posting big PB’s.

“That race was a step in the right direction heading into the long course season. Physically, I sometimes struggle against the bigger guys so tactically for me every dive and turn counts.”

Richard Spoor, who won 100m gold on day one, took silver in 2:07.40, while Robert Holderness dropped two seconds of his personal best, touching the wall in 2:08.21 to take the final place on the rostrum.

Nathan Hughes (Hatfield) won his fifth junior gold of the Meet after posting a time of 2:18.42 in the B final.

City of Oxford teammates Connor Bryan and Callum Smart won junior silver and bronze after respective heats of 2:18.47 and 2:19.01.

Day Four Finals: Women’s 200m Freestyle

The Women’s 200m Freestyle final went down to the final touch but it was Loughborough University’s Sophie Smith, silver medallist in the 100m Freestyle, who was able to find the wall first and take gold in 1:56.03, just 0.02 seconds outside her lifetime best.

“I could see Anne [Bochmann], but for me that race was all about getting gold. I’ve swum well all week but missed out on gold so it feels great to get it tonight.”

University of Bath’s Bochmann took silver in a season’s best 1:56.11, while Hannah Burvill (Woking) set a new PB 1:56.44 for bronze.

In the B final Stockport Metro’s Elizabeth Harris dipped under the two minute marker for the first time (1:59.63) to win junior gold. The junior silver medal was won by Freya Anderson (Ellesmere College) who finished just outside her personal best in 2:01.13.

Annalea Davison (Newcastle) won the junior bronze medal after narrowly missing out on a place in the B final with a heat swim of 2:02.05

Day Four Finals: Men’s 200m Freestyle

In the Men’s 200m Freestyle final, Loughborough University’s Adam Barrett powered through the water to take gold in a season’s best 1:43.72, while Nicholas Grainer, who was part of victorious British 4x200m Freestyle team at this year’s World Championships, took silver in a personal best time of 1:43.99.

A late surge from Jay Lelliott in lane eight saw the University of Bath swimmer move through the field to post a personal best time of 1:44.41 and add 200m bronze to the 1500m and 400m gold medals he won earlier in the Meet.

After a strong swim in this morning’s heats, Nathan Hughes also added to his medal haul by winning junior gold in a time of 1:51.37. Hughes’ Hatfield teammate Luke Turley won junior silver in 1:52.25, while Guildford City’s Henry Offin took bronze in 1:52.82.

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