Pavoni crowned European Junior champion

The Brentwood swimmer went into the final ranked in second place just behind Hungary’s Gergely Gyurta and the Brit knew he had a battle on his hands if he wanted to retain his European Junior title.

British Gas swimmer, Pavoni, started the race well and touched in second place at the first turn just under half a second behind Gyurta.

Through the next 50m Pavoni managed to pull ahead of the Hungarian athlete. The 2008 European Junior 400m Individual Medley champion performed an excellent turn as he transitioned from Backstroke to Breaststroke and moved almost a second ahead of Gyurta.

The Breaststroke leg saw Pavoni show his strength and skill and he kept his lead but as the race moved to Freestyle Gyurta still looked in with a chance of catching Pavoni.

Gyurta had an impressive final turn and moved onto Pavoni’s shoulder but the British Age Group record holder dug in and fought hard to ensure he won the gold medal with a new personal best time of 4:17.27.

“I wanted to do that so much,” Pavoni said. “It is the first time I have cried after a race through happiness and pain. I gave it everything and I am dead now.

“I turned onto the Breaststroke and it felt really good and I knew I wanted to try and get it in the bag before the Free because Gergely [Gyurta] won the 1500m so I knew he would come back at me then. Through the Free he was still close to me so I just pushed it knowing I could get the gold.

“I came into this race after my 200m Butterfly, which didn’t go as well as I wanted it to, and I really had a dip in my confidence. My head was playing games with me. I went into it knowing I could win it but my head was telling me I was too tired but I worked through that.

After receiving his medal Pavoni added: “It is all worth it with this on my neck. I am just gobsmacked. I think it will take a while to sink in.

“To see my dad’s face after the race made it worth everything. My family has supported me all week which has been great. The British team were great too, I could hear them every step of the way which pushed me on.

“To come back and win the gold again means so much and I am really happy to have done it. I am so grateful to my coach Chris [Nesbit] for all of the hard work he has put into my swimming and his belief in me. I am just so happy right now.”

Gyurta took the silver in a time of 4:18.62 and the bronze medal went to Hungary’s Zsombor Szana in 4:19.43.

Middlesborough’s Aimee Willmott won her second medal of the competition in the 200m Individual Medley as she was once again pitted against Grainne Murphy.

The Irish athlete, Murphy, stormed to a new European Junior record in the semi-final and Willmott knew she would have to fight hard to win gold.

Willmott got off to a strong start but Murphy was the athlete that turned first at the 50m mark. The Brit made up some of the distance in the Backstroke leg and the two swimmers were looking close at the turn for the Breaststroke.

Murphy began pulling away from Willmott through the penultimate length and although the British Age Group record holder pushed hard on the Freestyle she couldn’t catch Murphy.

The gold medal was won in a new European Junior record time of 2:14.22 by Murphy. WIllmott took the silver in 2:15.89.

“I am pleased with that race,” Willmott said. “It was just off my personal best and it was my third fastest time ever.

“I felt strong through the race but it just got really hard on the Free and I couldn’t catch her. I am really happy to have come away with two medals this year which is much better than last year.”

The bronze medal went to Stefania Pirozzi (Italy) in 2:16.11 and British Gas swimmer Jessica Powell (Stockport Metro) finished in 7th with a time of 2:18.78.

The 100m Butterfly saw Braxston Timm (City of Sheffield) finish in sixth place with a good swim that saw him lower his personal best.

Timm got off to a good start and touched at the 50m in fifth place. He then worked hard for the back end of the race and lowered his personal best after finishing in 54.32.

After an impressive swim in the semi-final, Millfield’s Karl Botha took sixth place in the 50m Freestyle final with a time of 23.23.

The girl’s 4x100m Medley Relay team, which featured Emma Saunders, Sara Lougher, Rachael Kelly and Emma Graham, finished in seventh place in this evening’s final in 4:13.56.

Rachael Kelly (Newcastle/Staffs) swam to a new personal best in the 50m Butterfly as she competed in a semi-final that saw the European Junior record broken,

Kelly touched in 28.10 and finished in 14th place overall.

-ENDS-

The LEN European Junior Swimming Championships take place in Prague, Czech Republic from 8th - 12th July 2009.

The British Gas squad consists of:

Adam Harrington Crawley
Adam John Stockport Mo
Anthony O'Driscoll Plymouth Leander
Braxston Timm Co Sheffield
Calum Jarvis Plymouth Leander
Cameron Brodie Kelly Coll
Craig Hamilton Warrender Baths
Daniel Mills Nova Cent
David Gregory Plymouth Leander
Douglas Scott East Kilbride
Jak Scott Stirling Swim
James Burden Co Coventry
James Gibson Stockport Mo
James Harrison Co Leeds
Josh Walsh Gallica
Karl Botha Millfield
Lewis Coleman Team Ipswich
Luke Wood Co Salford
Mark Conroy Plymouth Leander
Matthew Allison Bo Stockton
Richard Butler Kingston u Hull
Roberto Pavoni Brentwood
Russell Smith Stockport Mo
Thomas Allen Swim Flint
Thomas Parris Hastings
Tsubasa Nakagawa Co Leicester

Aimee Willmott Middlesborough
Ann Morris Nova Cent.
Anne Bochmann UEA Norwich
Bethany Coggins UEA Norwich
Carmella Kitching Harrow & Weald
Catriona Bruce Bo Stockton
Charlotte Bell Northampton
Corrie Scott East Kilbride
Danielle Stirrat Co Cardiff
Eleanor Faulkner Co Sheffield
Ellis Jackson St Felix School
Emma Graham Co Leeds
Emma Saunders Horwich
Francesca Marr Hillingdon
Georgia Hohmann Nova Cent
Hannah Wardle Co Leeds
Jessica Powell Stockport Mo
Jessica Thielmann Co Newcastle
Kirsty Harkness Portsmouth NS
Laura Dawson Co Newcastle
Lucy Ellis Stirling Swim
Lucy Titchin Millfield
Mai Alland Burl Hill & Hay
Rachael Kelly Newcastle Staffs
Rachel Williams Trowbridge
Sara Hamilton South Aberdeenshire
Sara Lougher Bridgend City
Sian Morgan Co Bradford
Sophie Drake Canvey Island
Stephanie Blakeburn Billingham

For further details contact British Swimming Media Officer Gemma Field on 01509 632238, 07917 726431 or email gemma.field@swimming.org

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